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Diversity and Inclusion Highlights

Diversity Retreats Offer Diverse Associates Valuable Forum for Mentoring and Career Development

Each spring, minority associates from across the country attend the annual Duane Morris Diversity and Inclusion Retreat to learn from minority partners and firm leadership and share their experiences at the firm. Programming at this popular event includes roundtable discussions of retention issues, Q&A sessions on matters that affect minority attorneys and panels on marketing and business development strategies. In 2013, our guest lecturer was Debo P. Adegbile, Special Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law Michael A. Fitts, University of Pennsylvania Law School, moderated a panel that included Harold Jackson, Editorial Page Editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Jennifer R. Clarke, Executive Director of Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. Nationally known consultants Dr. Arin N. Reeves and Kathleen B. Nalty also engaged the group on enhancing firm culture through diversity and inclusion.

Diversity Highlights

In 2012, guest speakers included Joseph K. West, President and CEO, Minority Corporate Counsel Association and Kenneth Gamble, Chairman, Universal Companies; Chairman, Philadelphia International Records; and Co-Founder of TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia). In 2011, guest speakers included Don H. Liu, Corp. Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Xerox Corporation; Daniel R. Biddle and Murray Dubin, authors of Tasting Freedom; and Tommy M. Shi, Esq., Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. In 2010, guest speakers included Mayda Prego, Senior Counsel, Chevron Corporation's Global Downstream/Latin America & Caribbean Regional Unit, and Norma Romero-Mitchell, President of Benefits Plus Consulting Group, Inc. In 2009, our diverse attorneys and diversity and inclusion committee members attended a dinner at Philadelphia City Hall, featuring speaker Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. In 2008, our guest speaker was Wendy Shiba, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of KB Home. In 2007, our guest speaker was Douglas Gaston, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Comcast Cable.

Duane Morris also holds an annual George B. Vashon Lecture, dealing with issues of diversity. In April 2012, the second Vashon Lecture was held in Philadelphia. The topic this year was "The Law & Politics of Affirmative Action." Randall L. Kennedy, the Raymond Pace and Sadie T.M. Alexander Visiting University of Pennsylvania Professor of Law in Civil Rights, the Michael R. Klein Professor of Law at Harvard, and award-winning author, was the guest lecturer. In addition, Duane Morris invited a panel moderated by David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President at Comcast Corporation, to comment on the positions taken by Professor Kennedy. The panelists included Joanne Epps, Dean and Professor of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law; Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President and CEO, Urban Affairs Coalition; and Thomas Servodidio, Duane Morris partner and chair of the Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group.

The attendees have responded with overwhelmingly positive feedback. These successful events have become a regular part of Duane Morris' diversity programming.

Kenneth L. Shropshire Joins Major League Baseball's On-Field Diversity Task Force

Duane Morris LLP special counsel Kenneth L. Shropshire of the firm's Philadelphia office has joined Major League Baseball's (MLB) On-Field Diversity Task Force. MLB's On-Field Diversity Task Force was created by Baseball Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig to address the talent pipeline that impacts the representation and development of diverse players and on-field personnel within MLB, particularly African-Americans. The wide-ranging group is composed of 19 individuals—including Hall-of-Famer Frank Robinson—with representatives from ownership, front offices, MLB's Central Office, MLB's Players Association, Minor League Baseball, the MLB Scouting Bureau and college baseball. The group's main focus is the myriad of issues influencing on-field diversity at all levels of baseball. Shropshire—the author of 10 books focused on the business of sports, including a foundational work on diversity in sports, In Black and White: Race and Sports in America—will focus on educational aspects for the taskforce. Shropshire practices at Duane Morris in the area of corporate law with a concentration in sports and business law.

Partner Cyndie Chang: Lawyer on the Fast Track

Duane Morris partner Cyndie Chang was named a "Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Recorder in 2013. According to The Recorder, Lawyers on the Fast Track stand out "among their peers based on their career achievements and leadership roles within their practice, organization or the larger community." Chang litigates complex business and commercial disputes involving contracts, unfair competition, trademark, trade secrets, products liability, entertainment and real estate law. She is also a licensed California Real Estate Broker. In addition, she has handled insurance disputes involving large, multimillion-dollar environmental, asbestos and toxic tort continuing injury claims.

Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., Chief Diversity Officer, Among the First Recipients of The Legal Intelligencer's Lifetime Achievement Award

Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., the firm's first Chief Diversity Officer, has been honored by The Legal Intelligencer with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his "distinct impact" on the legal profession. The lifetime achievement awards, the first of their kind at the Legal, will be given as part of a ceremony to commemorate that newspaper’s 170th anniversary and to honor lawyers in the community who have "stood as examples of some of the best virtues of Pennsylvania attorneys."

Under Atkinson's leadership as Chief Diversity Officer, overseeing its Diversity & Inclusion committee, Duane Morris has developed a diversity and inclusion program that has been recognized nationally. The firm was recently named the 2012 recipient of the George B. Vashon Innovator Award presented by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) for innovative best practices by a law firm in recruitment and retention.

Marco Gonzalez, Jr. Named "Business Professional of the Year - Legal Industry" for 2012 by the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey

Duane Morris partner Marco A. Gonzalez, Jr., of the firm's Newark office has been named a Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey "Business Professional of the Year – Legal Industry" for 2012. Gonzalez received the award from Newark Mayor Cory Booker on December 11 at the Chamber's 22nd Annual Convention, Expo and Awards Luncheon, held at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

A co-founder of the firm's Puerto Rico Business Group, Gonzalez is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and has extensive experience representing clients in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. He is also co-chair of the firm's growing Cuba Business Group, providing counseling and representation to companies in that emerging market under exemptions to the U.S. trade embargo and to help them to prepare for expanded trade with Cuba upon the eventual lifting of the embargo.

Having served in the U.S. Marine Corps and as an Aircraft Structural Specialist on the F-117A Stealth Fighter Project for the former Lockheed-California Aircraft Company, Gonzalez brings a unique perspective to the practice of law. Additionally, he is a past president and the current General Counsel of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey.

Duane Morris Goes Purple in Support of LGBT Youth

Duane Morris turned its website purple on October 19, 2012 in honor of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's (GLAAD) annual Spirit Day. The firm's website added purple as part of the GLAAD initiative to show support for LGBT youth. Duane Morris is the only law firm listed on GLAAD's website as a Spirit Day participant. Other Spirit Day participants include Comcast, Yahoo!, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Saatichi & Saatchi, Wells-Fargo and AT&T and sports leagues including MLB, NBA, WNBA, NHL and NASCAR.

Duane Morris attorneys are active in organizations that support LGBT inclusion, from the workplace to the broader community. Attorneys at Duane Morris have taken an active role in LGBT networking groups and law associations, including the National LGBT Bar Association as well as local organizations, and have written on topics including transgender workplace law. The firm recently sponsored the LGBT Champagne Reception at the Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention.

Duane Morris Named to Honor Roll for Commitment to Women Lawyers and Diversity for Third Year in a Row

Duane Morris has been cited as one of five law firms on 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.

Rachael Pontikes Named One of Just The Beginning Foundation's "20 Under 40" for Work Supporting Diversity

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. Ms. Pontikes practices in Duane Morris' Chicago office and focuses on high-profile and high-stakes litigation. She represents foreign companies in disputes in the United States, acts as liaison for American companies that are sued abroad, represents companies in inter- and intra-company disputes and represents financial institutions in a broad range of commercial litigation and arbitration.

Elizabeth Powers Honored as Tri-State Diversity Council Woman of the Year

Duane Morris partner Elizabeth Powers was recognized as "Council Woman of the Year" by the Tri-State Diversity Council for her leadership excellence, having significant impact on revenues, profitability, and/or the direction of her organizations, and for demonstrating leadership and a commitment to her community. She will be honored at the Tri-State Diversity and Leadership Conference on September 28, 2012. Powers previously headed the Women's Initiatives Committee at her former firm, was a member of the Executive Committee, and was responsible for bringing women partners together for their first retreat, while developing internal networks among female partners. She recently led a diverse group of 15 men and women to Duane Morris, where she practices corporate law, concentrating on corporate finance, compliance, reporting and governance.

Duane Morris Wins MCCA Innovator Award for Diversity and Inclusion Program

Duane Morris is the 2012 recipient of the George B. Vashon Innovator Award presented by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) for innovative best practices by a law firm in Recruitment and Retention. John J. Soroko, Chairman of Duane Morris, accepted the award at the Diversity Innovators Awards Reception following the Pathways Conference on September 10, 2012 in New York City. The Innovator Award, which now carries the George B. Vashon name, has special significance to Duane Morris. Vashon was Duane Morris Chief Diversity Officer Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr.'s great-grandfather. Atkinson and others petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to grant Vashon posthumous admission to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The noted abolitionist and activist had been denied admission to practice law in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) because of his race. Joseph K. West, President & CEO of MCCA, said that the Award carries Vashon's name because of his "steadfast determination in the face of discrimination and his accomplishments following rejection of admission to the bar in Pennsylvania." Vashon became the first African-American admitted to the bar in New York State in 1847.

Lauren DeBruicker Selected as Charter Member for ABA Diverse Speakers Database

Duane Morris partner Lauren DeBruicker has been invited to be among the charter group of diverse lawyers featured in the upcoming ABA Diverse Speakers Database. This national clearinghouse of presenters available for speaking engagements will be a resource for program organizers and decision-makers in the ABA and other bar associations who seek diverse lawyers from a race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation/gender identity, or disability perspective. DeBruicker, a commercial litigator, has been a quadriplegic and wheelchair user since 1991, and is a frequent speaker on issues of disability in the workplace. She has also negotiated accommodations in housing and employment for people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. DeBruicker serves on the boards of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation; the Philadelphia Chapter of the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis; and the National Transplant Assistance Fund and Catastrophic Injury Program. She is a member of Duane Morris' Diversity and Inclusion Committee and its Recruitment and Retention Committee.

Arfat Selvam Shortlisted for "Managing Partner of the Year" Award

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. Ms. Selvam has over forty years' experience in corporate finance having been at the forefront of the development of the financial services market in Singapore. Her wide array of experience includes mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructures, takeovers, funds raising in the capital markets, privatisations, financial services, cross border investments, financial services and international joint ventures.

Terrance Evans Named Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow for 2012

Duane Morris San Francisco partner Terrance Evans has been selected for the 2012 Fellows Program of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), a national organization made up of the legal profession's top general counsels and managing partners. Evans joins a class of 134 attorneys from around the country who have been selected as LCLD Fellows for 2012.

Duane Morris Partner Scott Marder Leads Professional Networking Group for LGBT Professionals

Duane Morris partner Scott Marder is one of the founders of the Maryland Corporate Council, a professional networking group geared toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender professionals in Baltimore. He was featured in an article in the Baltimore Sun on the group and its goals to support the LGBT business community in Baltimore. Marder practices in the areas of complex business, commercial and construction litigation. He has significant experience in the banking, real estate, construction and gaming industries. He is also a member of Duane Morris' Pro Bono Committee.

Duane Morris Attorney Cyndie Chang Presents at 2011 NAPABA Annual Convention

Duane Morris associate Cyndie M. Chang presented at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Annual Convention: Sustainability 2011: Renewal and Growth for Today and Tomorrow in Atlanta, Georgia. Chang co-chaired and co-moderated the "Action for Lawyers II" program. Duane Morris is a silver sponsor of the NAPABA annual convention.

Nolan Atkinson Receives Founder's Award From the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group

Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., the firm's Chief Diversity Officer, received the Founder's Award from the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group, Inc. (PDLG) at its 10th Anniversary Luncheon. Atkinson is the former chair of the PDLG, a consortium of law firms and corporations committed to increasing ethnic and racial diversity in Philadelphia's larger law firms. The award recognizes Atkinson's key involvement in improving diversity in the profession in the region.

Duane Morris Sponsors LGBT Event at Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention

Duane Morris was a co-sponsor for the LGBT Champagne Reception at the HNBA Annual Convention in Dallas this year. The reception was very well attended. Also during the HNBA Convention, Duane Morris partner Mauro M. Wolfe participated in a panel discussion on the topic of "Corporate Compliance and Business Ethics Programs."

Duane Morris Partner Denyse Sabagh Receives American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Leadership Award

Denyse Sabagh, head of the firm's Immigration Practice Group, was honored with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)'s Hala Salam Maksoud Leadership Award. Named after former ADC president and nationally recognized civil and human rights advocate Dr. Hala Salam Maksoud, the award is presented annually to a community leader who has exhibited great leadership, strength and compassion toward the concerns of the community and the mission of ADC.

Duane Morris Partner Andrew Hahn Receives NYC Bar's Diversity Champion Award

Andrew T. Hahn has been selected by the New York City Bar Association (City Bar) to receive one of its Sixth Annual Diversity Champion Awards. The honor recognizes the key role individual attorneys have played in initiating and sustaining change within their organizations and the overall New York legal community. Award recipients embody City Bar's Statement of Diversity Principles, which defines diversity as an inclusive concept. Hahn is a former president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Asian American Bar Association of New York. He is a board member of the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, and received the association's Trailblazer's Award in 2008.

Jennifer Kearns Receives Tom Homann LGBT Law Association Annual Friend of the Community Award

Jennifer A. Kearns, a partner at Duane Morris, was honored by the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association with its annual Friend of the Community Award. The award is presented to people who have made a positive impact in San Diego and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in particular. Kearns was honored for her work in support of Mama's Kitchen, Inc., a San Diego nonprofit organization. She first became involved with Mama's Kitchen nearly 20 years ago. The organization was founded to deliver hot meals and groceries to low-income persons affected by HIV/AIDS and their families. In 2006, Mama's Kitchen expanded its mission to serve low-income persons affected by cancer. Since its inception, Mama's Kitchen has delivered more than five million free meals.

The Legal Intelligencer Names Two Duane Morris Partners to 2011 Diverse Attorneys of the Year List

Duane Morris partners Robert L. Archie, Jr. and Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., the firm’s Chief Diversity Officer, were named to The Legal Intelligencer's 2011 Diverse Attorneys of the Year for their outstanding professional achievements. Letters of recommendation for the recognition were solicited from bar associations, law firms, public interest groups, corporations and government offices. George B. Vashon, Atkinson’s great-grandfather, who was posthumously admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 2010, was also listed.

Duane Morris Partner Teresa Cavenagh Receives National Diversity Council's Powerful and Influential Women Award

Trial partner Teresa Cavenagh was awarded a Powerful and Influential Women award by the National Diversity Council at the 2010 Pennsylvania Diversity and Leadership Conference. At the conference, Cavenagh presented on a panel called Strategies for Professional Success. Cavenagh, who practices in the areas of commercial, class action, fraud, RICO and qui tam litigation, also presented earlier this year at the Pennsylvania Diversity Council Women in Leadership Symposium. In addition, she is a participant of the Leadership Program sponsored by the Committee on Women in the Profession of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Nolan Atkinson Obtains Posthumous Admittance of George Vashon to Pennsylvania Bar

Chief Diversity Officer Nolan Atkinson, Jr. played a major role in petitioning the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on behalf of the family of George B. Vashon, Atkinson's great-grandfather, to posthumously admit Vashon to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vashon sought admission to practice law in Allegheny County in 1847 and 1868, but was rejected in both cases because of his race. He was the first black to graduate from Oberlin College, later became the first black lawyer in New York state and the first black professor at Howard University.

More than a century and a half after he was first denied admission to the bar in Allegheny County because of the color of his skin, George Boyer Vashon was officially admitted to the state bar by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a ceremony held on October 20 at the City-County Building in Pittsburgh.

Cyndie Chang Accepted to Join Prestigious Leadership Academy; Named Among NAPABA's "Best Lawyers Under 40"

Cyndie Chang, an associate in the Los Angeles office, has been accepted to join the ABA's Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Leadership Academy for the 2010-2011 bar year. TIPS is a highly competitive program for emerging leaders in the law. Chang was also honored by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) with its 2010 "Best Lawyers Under 40" award. Chang was one of 20 lawyers recognized at NAPABA's 22nd Annual Convention. Chang previously was honored with the President's Award at the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association (SCCLA) banquet for outstanding service and commitment to SCCLA. In 2007, Chang chaired "Phoenix Rising," a full-day MCLE event. SCCLA is one of the largest and oldest minority bar organizations in Southern California. Chang is the treasurer of the organization.

Duane Morris Sponsors Diversity Event in Boston

Duane Morris' Boston office recently hosted the Asian-American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts' third annual Speed Mentoring Night. Twenty mentors and 42 mentees engaged in five rounds of 15-minute sessions during which law students, recent graduates and junior lawyers were paired with more-senior attorneys from various fields and affiliations. The event was featured in a spread in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Duane Morris Sponsors Diversity Event in Chicago

Duane Morris hosted and sponsored an event for the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms. "Sweet Home Chicago," is an annual cocktail and networking gathering of the Committee showcasing diversity in large law firms to attorneys and law school students from around the country. Partner Neville Bilimoria helped to organize and support the event and partner Cheryl Blackwell Bryson spoke on "Maximizing Your Chances for a Successful Summer Experience" along with a panel of outside presenters. The firm's Chicago office held a reception for more than 350 attendees after the program.

Denyse Sabagh Named One of 30 "Stars of the Bar" by Washingtonian Magazine

Denyse Sabagh has been named as one of the 30 "Stars of the Bar" in Washingtonian magazine's listing of the "top guns of the profession" in Washington, D.C. The magazine said, "Sabagh's peers describe her as the immigration lawyer who can do it all."

Sabagh practices in the areas of immigration and nationality law and litigation and has more than 25 years of experience in representing diverse clients. She helps corporate clients manage both inbound and outbound employment immigration and is a recognized leader in developing strategic business immigration programs and policies.

Nolan Atkinson Honored With Inaugural Diversity Awards

Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., the firm's Chief Diversity Officer, received the inaugural 2009 American Bar Association Section of Litigation Diversity Leadership Award. The honor was bestowed to recognize Atkinson's commitment to promoting full and equal participation in the legal profession through the encouragement and inclusion of women, people of color, persons with disabilities and/or persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities.

In another first, Atkinson was honored with the Philadelphia Bar Association's inaugural Chancellor's Diversity Award. That award was created to honor a law firm, legal organization or individual for advancing diversity in the legal profession. Atkinson was noted for his work to co-found the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group, an organization that promotes diversity in the practice of law and helps connect first-year minority law students with summer internships at firms and companies. Atkinson is also a recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal's 2010 Minority Business Leader Award.

Atkinson Named to Mayor's Advisory Task Force on Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform

Atkinson was named by Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter to serve on the Mayor's Advisory Task Force on Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform. The Task Force provides a comprehensive evaluation of the city's public campaign financing ordinances, ethics board opinions and other ethics issues.

Duane Morris Partner Lida Rodriguez-Taseff Receives Diversity Award

Lida Rodriguez-Taseff has been awarded a Legacy Diversity Award from the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO). The award honors those who have demonstrated leadership in advancing opportunities for diversity in the legal profession. Rodriguez-Taseff was also selected to be honored by The Miami Workers Center, an organization that develops and supports community organizing campaigns and education programs. Rodriguez-Taseff was chosen for her work mobilizing thousands of Latinos in the area during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Rodriguez-Taseff, who practices in the firm's Miami office, focuses in the area of commercial litigation. She is a frequent television legal commentator and is a national Spanish media spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union. She is a member of Duane Morris' Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

CLEO promotes diversity through providing scholarships and support programs to minority, underrepresented and economically disadvantaged law students.

Duane Morris Partner Robert L. Archie, Jr. Named One of Philadelphia's Most Influential African Americans

The Philadelphia Tribune, the nation's oldest black newspaper, named corporate partner Robert L. Archie, Jr. one of "Philadelphia's Most Influential African Americans 2009: Movers and Shakers" for demonstrating leadership in the community. Archie serves on the boards of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, Universal Institute Charter School, Lincoln University (the first historically black university in the U.S.) and Universal Communities Homes, Inc.