Developing Opportunities for Women in the Legal Profession
The Duane Morris Women's Initiative, led by partner Sharon Caffrey, brings together women attorneys throughout the firm to exchange ideas, foster and expand business contacts and opportunities, and enhance attorney development.
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The Initiative develops and sponsors programs on various topics, including women's leadership, legal trends geared toward female in-house counsel and practice-related issues. The Initiative sponsors a multi-city clothing drive for Dress for Success, collecting and donating professional clothing and accessories to help women in low-income communities. In addition, the Initiative holds internal networking lunches and activities for Duane Morris women attorneys, including a Women's Initiative Retreat for all women attorneys that focuses on educational programming as well as networking. The Women's Initiative also regularly hosts events with the National Association of Women Lawyers to benefit abused women and children. |
Sharon Caffrey
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The Women's Initiative will be offering dynamic programming throughout the calendar year. Watch for more CLEs, panel presentations and networking events.
Awards & Accolades
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Duane Morris has been cited on the 2013 Honor Roll of Legal Organizations Welcoming Women Professionals. Created by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Commission on Women in the Profession (WIP), the annual list recognizes law firms that are committed to diversity and provide tools to enable women lawyers to continue and advance in their professional careers. These firms provide flexible work schedules, backup childcare, networking events and other innovative programs. |
Kathleen Cheney
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We are pleased to welcome IP litigator Karineh Khachatourian as managing partner of the firm's new Silicon Valley office.
The Women's Initiative group recognizes and congratulates our new women partners:
Trial Practice Group: Jessica Y. Singh in New York.
Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring Practice Group: Meagen E. Leary in San Francisco.
Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group: Joanna R. Varon in New York.
Intellectual Property Practice Group: Laurie H. van Löben Sels in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
Duane Morris has been named one of the 2012 Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers "50 Best Law Firms for Women," based on its family-friendly policies and business development initiatives that retain women and advance them into the leadership pipeline. Duane Morris is featured in the December/January issue of the magazine, and on workingmother.com and flextimelawyers.com.
The Working Mother list celebrates the law firms that are most successful in retaining and promoting women lawyers. The list highlights firms that have led the way in creating new models for the legal profession in promoting women and developing more generous work life policies. Duane Morris was named on the first list of Best Law Firms for Women in 2007. This year, the evaluators gave Duane Morris a perfect score in the areas of Business Development, Networking, Mentoring & Sponsorship.
Silicon Valley office managing partner Karineh Khachatourian has been recognized as one of Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 2013 Women of Influence.
Duane Morris partner Rachael Pontikes has been selected as one of the Just The Beginning Foundation's (JTBF) 2012 "20 Under 40" honorees. This award is given to young lawyers in recognition of their demonstrable commitment to JTBF's goals of community involvement and providing guidance and encouragement to diverse students with an interest in the law, as well as to others in their community, to attain their highest academic, personal and professional aspirations.
Duane Morris partner Sandra Jeskie has been named one of the 2012 Most Powerful and Influential Women of Pennsylvania by the National Diversity Council. She will be honored at the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Diversity and Leadership Conference on October 18, 2012.
Duane Morris attorney Jane Dalton received the prestigious Sandra Day O'Connor Award.
Congratulations to Sharon Caffrey for being named one of the Legal Intelligencer's Women of the Year for 2012.
The Women's Initiative group recognizes and congratulates our new women partners:
Heather Carmody, Philadelphia
Cyndie M. Chang, Los Angeles
Stephanie L. Kosta, Philadelphia
Jessica E. La Londe, San Francisco
Laura A. Vogel, Boston
Megan R. Worrell, New York
Duane Morris in San Diego is in the Lawyers Club of San Diego 2011 Equality Survey by percentage of female partners, and is noted for its overall percentage of female lawyers and firmwide policies regarding part-time arrangements and paternity leave.
Duane Morris was honored at the Pennsylvania Bar Association Women in the Profession 18th Annual Conference. The firm was recognized for the second year in a row for its activities in promoting women. Jane Dalton, of the Philadelphia office, is the co-chair of the planning committee for the conference.
Duane Morris was recognized by Women Against Abuse for its work with the organization at its annual event to raise awareness for domestic violence.
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Duane Morris has been cited as one of five law firms in the 2012 Honor Roll of Legal Organizations Welcoming Women Professionals. Created by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Commission on Women in the Profession (WIP), the annual list recognizes law firms that are committed to diversity and provide tools to enable women lawyers to continue and advance in their professional careers. They include flexible work schedules, backup childcare, networking events and other innovative programs. This is the third year in a row that Duane Morris has been named to the Honor Roll. |
Jane Leslie Dalton
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Partner Lauren DeBruicker has been named a recipient of Magee Rehabilitation Hospital's 2013 Champion in the Community Award for leadership on disability issues.
The firm has also been listed by Women 3.0 magazine as one of the Top 100 Law Firms for Women. Philadelphia magazine named Duane Morris one of the Best Places to Work, noting the firm's strong mentoring and networking programs for women attorneys.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation's largest advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Americans, gave Duane Morris a perfect score for the second year in a row and rated it one of the "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality" based on the firm's non-discrimination policies, gender identity and diversity training, domestic partner health insurance and other benefits for domestic partners.
In addition to its high marks for its policies, training and benefits, Duane Morris has been a major sponsor of the Equality Forum, a national nonprofit GLBT organization, and its annual International Equality Dinner for the past six years.
Individual attorneys have been cited for their leadership in the practice of law:
- Duane Morris LLP intellectual property attorney Christiane Schuman Campbell has been elected to serve as the 2013–2014 chair-elect of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Intellectual Property Section. Campbell will also continue her role as chair of the Trademark Subcommittee for the Section.
- Sheila Hollis, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office, received the inaugural Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award from the Duane Morris Women's Initiative.The Bryson award is named for former Duane Morris partner Cheryl Blackwell Bryson, a labor and employment lawyer who died in January 2012 after a long battle with cancer, and recognizes female attorney leaders at the firm. Hollis is chair of the Washington, D.C. office and serves on the firm's Executive Committee and Partners Board. She has been widely recognized in the energy bar and in the legal community for her contributions to the profession.
- Suzanne Fogarty, special counsel in the San Francisco office, received the Duane Morris Women's Initiative’s Work-Life Balance Award. Fogarty is a trial and appellate lawyer practicing in the areas of business and technology-based litigation as well as complex insurance coverage litigation.
- Arfat Selvam, managing partner of Duane Morris' Singapore office, was shortlisted for "Managing Partner of the Year" award in the ALB Southeast Asia Law Awards 2012.
- Congratulations to Sharon Caffrey for being named one of The Legal Intelligencer's Women of the Year. The Legal's editorial staff highlighted Caffrey among top-achieving women lawyers in Pennsylvania. Women from across the legal industry, including those who work at law firms, public interest organizations, government agencies and within the judiciary were highlighted because they "positively affect the legal profession," and have "made a mark with their work," according to the Legal. Caffrey is chair of the Products Liability and Toxic Torts division of Duane Morris' Trial Practice Group, concentrating her practice in the areas of mass tort, products liability and toxic tort litigation. Caffrey also chairs Duane Morris' Women's Initiative and co-chaired the first Lexis-Nexis conference on Advancing Women in the Profession. In addition, Caffrey is a member of Duane Morris' Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
- Bronwyn L. Roberts was elected to The Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA), an organization that works to achieve the full and equal participation of women in every aspect of society.
- Duane Morris partner Lida Rodriguez-Taseff of the firm's Miami office has been selected to receive Business Leader magazine's "Women Extraordinaire Award" for Miami. The award recognizes the top women business leaders in the southern United States who have demonstrated significant business achievement and community involvement.
- Jamie Dyce of Duane Morris' New York office accepted the firm's fifth annual Duane Morris Pro Bono Award. Dyce, a Wealth Planning associate, has been practicing with Duane Morris since 2009. The firm's annual pro bono award honors the Duane Morris attorney who has best exemplified the strong Duane Morris pro bono culture.
- Duane Morris partner Beatrice O'Donnell of the firm's Philadelphia office has been appointed to the board of visitors of Temple University's School of Environmental Design at its Ambler Campus. The board's responsibilities include providing advisory leadership for both the School of Environmental Design and the campus. Members of the board also support fundraising efforts for all campus needs.
Part-Time/Flex-Time Policy for Attorneys
Duane Morris offers viable part-time schedules for attorneys. We understand the needs of some of our attorneys to work a nontraditional schedule, and we balance those needs with the firm's commitment to serve our clients at the highest level.
Speaking Engagements and Events
The Women's Initiative as well as individual attorneys regularly host, lead and speak at events relating to women and leadership in the law.
Recent and upcoming events include:
Duane Morris' Women's Initiative to Host "Women in Professional Services—Surviving and Thriving in Shark-Infested Waters"
August 9, 2013 | San Francisco | Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Slocum Hollis to Speak on "Ensuring Compliance with NERC Reliability Standards & Transparency Rules"
June 7, 2013 | Houston | Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel
Duane Morris Partner Meagen E. Leary to Speak on "Creative Workout Strategies"
May 14, 2013 | Santa Monica | Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows Santa Monica
Networking Reception and Clothing Drive
May 1, 2013 | Boston | Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris Attorneys Michael Clark, Rebecca Lamberth and John Goselin to Participate in the Fifth Annual Institute on Internal Corporate Investigations and Forum for In-House Counsel
April 24, 2013 | Washington, D.C. | The St. Regis
Duane Morris Partner Susan Kayser to Discuss "View From New York: Compliance Mandates You May See in Your State"
April 23, 2013 | National Harbor, Maryland | Gaylord National
Duane Morris' Women's Initiative to Host "Women in Professional Services—Surviving and Thriving in Shark-Infested Waters"
April 18, 2013 | Philadelphia | Duane Morris LLP-Morris' Café
Duane Morris Partner Lori Ocheltree to Speak on "Social Media Networking Sites and Employment-Related Decisions" and "Privacy and Other Workplace Issues"
April 16, 2013 | San Diego
Duane Morris' Women's Initiative to Host Networking and Client Appreciation Event
March 26, 2013 | San Diego | Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris Associate Natalie Hrubos to Discuss "Best Practices: Finding the Way Forward"
February 23, 2013 | Philadelphia | Temple University Beasley School of Law
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Chair U.S. Regulatory Module at The Institute for Energy Law's 64th Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference
February 21, 2013 | Houston | JW Marriott Houston Hotel
Duane Morris Partner Beatrice O'Donnell to Speak on "Courageous Counsel: Advice and Insights From General Counsel About Paths to Legal and Business Leadership"
February 16, 2013 | Hollywood, Florida | Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa
Duane Morris Partner Susan Kayser to Moderate Legal Issues Roundtable Discussion
January 21, 2013 | Phoenix | JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Explore "The Newly Elected U.S. Government: What Does it Mean for Energy in 2013 and Beyond?"
December 13, 2012 | Orlando | Orange County Convention Center
Duane Morris Partner Vicki Norton to Explore "Cabilly III and Other Notable Antibody Patents"
December 2, 2012 | San Diego | Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel
Duane Morris Associate Christiane Campell to Discuss "Navigating the Trademark Jungle: From Clearance and Adoption to Prosecution and Enforcement, Tips for Developing and Maintaining a Strong Brand"
November 19, 2012 | Harrisburg
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Speak on "Ensuring Compliance with NERC Reliability Standards & Transparency Rules"
November 16, 2012 | Washington, D.C. | The Washington Marriott
Duane Morris' Women's Initiative to Sponsor "Business Etiquette Best Practices"
November 13, 2012 | San Francisco | Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris Attorneys Lori Ocheltree, Lisa Spiegel and Allegra Jones to Explore "Navigating Employee Leaves of Absence"
October 17, 2012 | San Francisco | Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Moderate Panel on "Developing and Sustaining an 'All-of-the-Above' National Energy Policy"
October 12, 2012| Austin
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Discuss "Energy Security: Facing a New Geopolitical Map"
October 2, 2012| Toronto
Duane Morris' Women's Initiative to Host "Women in Professional Services—Surviving and Thriving in Shark-Infested Waters"
October 4, 2012| New York City
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Speak on "RIO+20: Initial Observations, Insights, and Collective Impressions"
July 25, 2012 | Teleconference
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Raftery Wiggins to Speak on "Ethical Considerations When Dealing With Distressed Property"
July 18, 2012 | Newark | Doubletree By Hilton Newark Airport
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Present at the ABA's 2012 Silver Gavel Awards
July 17, 2012 | Washington, D.C | The National Press Club
Duane Morris Partner Vicki Norton to Exmine "How the Dynamics of Biosimilars Are Changing the Hatch-Waxman Landscape"
June 25, 2012 | San Diego | Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa
Duane Morris' Women's Initiative Garden Tour and Summer Reception
June 7, 2012| Chicago
Duane Morris Associate Natalie Hrubos to Discuss "Both Sides Now: Employee & Employer Perspectives on Transgender Workplace Law"
June 1, 2012 | Philadelphia | Philadelphia Convention Center
Duane Morris Partner Dominica Anderson to Speak on "The Perils of Claims Involving Multiple Insureds"
May 10, 2012 | Washington, D.C. | JW Marriott Hotel
Duane Morris Partner Lauren DeBruicker to Discuss "Lawyers with Disabilities: Personal Strategies for Success"
May 8, 2012 | Washington, D.C. | Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Duane Morris Silver Sponsor of 2012 World Technology Law Conference & Annual Meeting; Partner Sandra Jeskie to Discuss "Emerging Technologies"
May 3, 2012 | Washington, D.C. | The Ritz-Carlton
Duane Morris Women's Initiative to Host "Dress for Success Reception and Suit Drive"
April 26, 2012 | San Francisco | Duane Morris Office
Archived Events | Full list of Duane Morris Events
In the News and Bylined Articles
Lauren DeBruicker: Advocate on Wheels
By Tom Calarco | Diversity & the Bar | March/April 2013
Top of Her Game: Karineh Khachatourian
By Marilyn Nagel | March 7, 2013
The Devil Is in the Details: General Releases from Employees That Fail to Specifically Refer to Mass. Wage Act Are Insufficient to Release Wage Act Claims
By Bronwyn Roberts | January 11, 2013
Rosanne Ciambrone: Making the Best of Difficult
Bankruptcy Situations
By Keith D. Picher | Leading Lawyers Network Magazine--Women's Edition |2012
Santa and the FLSA
By Natalie Hrubos | Duane Morris LLP | December 19, 2012
The P's & Q's of mHealth and Patient Engagement; Privacy and Security Issues
By Lisa Clark | mHealth Newsletter | November 12, 2012
Duane Morris Partner Sandra Jeskie Named a "2012 Most Powerful and Influential Women of Pennsylvania"
September 25, 2012
Duane Morris Partner Rachael Pontikes Named One of Just The Beginning Foundation's "20 Under 40" for Work Supporting Diversity
September 25, 2012
Lawyers Who Lead By Example: Jamie Dyce Honored by New York Law Journal for Work with Victims of Sexual Slavery
By Staff Writer | New York Law Journal | September 12, 2012
Duane Morris Partner Elizabeth Powers Named Tri-State Diversity Council Woman of the Year
By Beth Douglass Silcox | Tri-State Diversity Council Newsletter | September 11, 2012
Old Confusions Back for Charitable Property Tax Exemptions
By David E. Loder and Melissa Sobel Snyder | Pennsylvania CPA Journal | September 6, 2012
Audit Provisions in Private Construction Contracts: Which Costs Are Subject to Audit, Who Bears the Expense of the Audit, and Who Has the Burden of Proof on Audit Claims?
By Albert Bates, Jr. and Amy Joseph Coles | Journal of the American College of Construction Lawyers | September 4, 2012
Using the "One-Day Note" in S Corporation Stock Sales
By Carolyn Sprinchorn and Thomas R. Wechter | AICPA Corporate Taxation Insider | August 23, 2012
Claim Construction Strategies for Trial and Appeal in Pharma Litigation
By Vincent Capuano and Kristina Caggiano | Corporate Counsel Magazine | August 15, 2012
Duane Morris San Diego Office Adds Real Estate Partner Marianne F. Adriatico
August 3, 2012
Jane Dalton Receives Sandra Day O'Connor Award
By Amaris Elliott-Engel | The Legal Intelligencer | July 13, 2012
A Comparison of the Leading Trust Jurisdiction
By Jocelyn Margolin Borowsky | Tax Management Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal | July 12, 2012
How to Avoid Tip-Related Traps
By Natalie Hrubos | Restaurant Hospitality | July 12, 2012
Facebook And Job Candidates: Lessons From 'Office Space'
By Natalie Hrubos | Law360 | June 29, 2012
Voting is Not a Technicality—It's a Fundamental Right
By Lida Rodriguez-Taseff | Daily Business Review | June 4, 2012
Duane Morris Partner Teresa Cavenagh Chairs SeniorLAW Center's SeniorPROM
April 23, 2012
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Slocum Hollis Honored at University of Denver Law School International Law Weekend
April 13, 2012
Sharon Caffrey Named One of The Legal Intelligencer's Women of the Year for 2012
By Ben Seal | The Legal Intelligencer Blog | March 30, 2012
Duane Morris Partner Karen Shichman Crawford Appointed Magistrate Judge for Southern District of California
March 22, 2012
Lawyers on the Fast Track 2011: Aliza Karetnick
By Staff Writer | The Legal Intelligencer | September 27, 2011
UK Construction Act: Long-awaited Changes Come into Effect This Fall
By Nicole Woolard | Building & Bonding: The Construction Group Newsletter | November 16, 2011
