Duane Morris Women's Initiative
Developing Opportunities for Women in the Legal Profession
The Duane Morris Women's Initiative, led by partners Sharon Caffrey and Sandra Jeskie, was designed by and for Duane Morris women attorneys. The Initiative formally brings together women attorneys throughout the firm to exchange ideas, foster and expand business contacts and opportunities, and enhance attorney development.
The Initiative develops and sponsors programs on various topics, including e-discovery, protecting trade secrets and international transactions, as well as panel discussions on legal trends geared toward female in-house counsel. For the past two years, the Initiative has sponsored 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 will be offering dynamic programming throughout the calendar year. Watch for more CLEs, panel presentations and networking events.
Awards & Accolades
Duane Morris' San Diego office is ranked first in the Lawyers Club of San Diego 2009 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.
Jane Dalton and Kate Fergus have been honored by Duane Morris in recognition of their leadership and contributions to women in the profession. Philadelphia employment law partner Dalton was honored for her distinguished career as well as her continuing efforts to advance women lawyers in the profession through leadership and mentoring. Boston-based litigation attorney Fergus was recognized for her ability to successfully model a "work-life balance," a topic that she has written about extensively.
In 2007, Duane Morris was named one of the top 50 law firms for women by Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm focused on the advancement of women in the legal profession. Best Law Firms for Women honored Duane Morris for its commitment to the retention and advancement of female lawyers and professional staff.
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 and rated one of the top organizations in its 2010 Corporate Equality Index and Best Places to Work Survey. The survey rates businesses and firms on non-discrimination policies, gender identity and diversity training, domestic partner health insurance and other benefits for domestic partners. Duane Morris scored 100 out of 100 possible points, a 5 point increase over the 2009 survey.
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 partners have been cited for their leadership in the practice of law.
- Catherine L. Sakach has been appointed to the board of trustees of the Alice Paul Institute, the nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about the life and work of Alice Paul and her fellow suffragists.
- Partner Denyse Sabagh was 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."
- Partner Lida Rodriguez-Taseff was 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.
- Sheila Hollis has been named a finalist for a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 11th Annual Platts Global Energy Awards.
- Mark Lipowicz, a trial partner in Philadelphia, was elected president of the board of directors of the Women Against Abuse Legal Center. Lipowicz is a longtime member of the board of directors of Women Against Abuse, which is Pennsylvania's largest anti-domestic violence agency.
- Partner Kathleen Shay was honored with a Women of Distinction award, given by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).
- The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly have selected Duane Morris' Sandra G. Stoneman among the 2008 Lawyers on the Fast Track, the future leaders of the state's legal community. A profile of Stoneman appears here.
- Partner Sheila Raftery Wiggins was named one of the New Jersey Law Journal's 2008 "40 Under 40" based on her professional achievements and demonstrated leadership in the law.
- Partner Jane Dalton, former Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, was honored with a Women of Distinction award, given by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).
- Cheryl Blackwell Bryson received one of the most coveted honors in Chicago, the YWCA Outstanding Women Leaders in Professions Award.
- Sheila Hollis was appointed chair of the Council of the American Bar Association's Fund for Justice and Education.
- Sandra Jeskie was recently named to the exclusive BTI Client Service All-Star Team, cited for her "outstanding attention to clients."
- Margery Reed was profiled in Bankruptcy Law 360 for her outstanding work in the bankruptcy field.
- Denyse Sabagh has been named one of the Washington, D.C. area's top immigration attorneys by Legal Times.
Part-Time/Flex-Time Policy for Attorneys
Duane Morris LLP is committed to offering viable part-time schedules for attorneys. The firm has male and female attorneys who work part-time and has two designated partners who serve as advisors and facilitators for lawyers who are considering working part-time or are currently working part-time.
In reviewing requests for part-time schedules, the firm considers the availability of work that can be handled on a part-time schedule, the needs of the firm's clients, the general performance of the lawyer, the reason for the request, and the total number of associates on part-time schedules.
Duane Morris is committed to the highest level of client service, and situations may arise in which a part-time lawyer cannot fully serve the client's needs without being flexible in work arrangements. For example, a litigator may have to work fulltime (or more) during a trial, and a corporate lawyer might have to do the same during a particular transaction. Accordingly, a part-time arrangement is most successful when an attorney works cooperatively with the practice group head or managing attorney in implementing, managing and maintaining a part-time arrangement.
In determining both bonuses and eligibility for partnership, full and part-time associates are evaluated according to the exact same standards and criteria. Part-time attorneys have the same benefits, including family coverage, as their full-time equivalents.
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 Partner Jane Leslie Dalton to Speak at Philadelphia Bar Association Attorney Career Development Committee Program
December 15, 2009 | Philadelphia | Philadelphia Bar Association
Duane Morris Partner Sandra Jeskie to Be Faculty Member at Pennsylvania Bar Institute Seminar on Privacy and Data Security
December 30, 2009 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | The CLE Conference Center
Duane Morris Partner Katherine Benesch to Speak at the 2010 Conflict Prevention & Resolution Annual Meeting
January 14, 2010 | New York City | International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Deliver Keynote Speech at Insight Information's GEA and The Smart Grid Development in Ontario Conference
January 26, 2010 | Toronto, Canada | St. Andrew's Club and Conference Centre
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Speak at 7th Annual Canadian Oil Sands Summit
February 2, 2010 | Calgary, Canada | TELUS Conference Centre
Duane Morris Attorney Mona Maerz to Present Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta Webinar
October 7, 2009
Duane Morris Partner Sheila Hollis to Speak at Association of Women in Water, Energy and Environment's First Annual Conference
October 21, 2009 | San Diego | Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina
Lida Rodriguez-Taseff to Speak at Minority Corporate Counsel Association's 10th Annual Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference
November 11, 2009 | New York City | New York Marriott Marquis Hotel
Sheila Raftery Wiggins to Speak at Current Issues Involving Non-Compete Agreements, Protection of Trade Secrets and Duty of Loyalty CLE Seminar
October 8, 2009 | Fairfield, New Jersey | Crowne Plaza, Fairfield
Sheila Slocum Hollis to Speak at The Canadian Institute's Gearing Up for a Low Carbon Economy Conference
October 6, 2009 | Calgary, Alberta | The Fairmont Palliser Hotel
Sheila Slocum Hollis to Speak at American Conference Institute's Third National Forum on Energy Trading Compliance
September 22, 2009 | Houston | JW Marriott
Cheryl Blackwell Bryson to Be Keynote Speaker at Incisive Media's 5th Annual Law Firm Chief Marketing Officers Forum
September 15, 2009 | Chicago | Renaissance Chicago Hotel
Sharon Caffrey to Speak at Perrin's Asbestos Litigation Conference
September 14, 2009 | San Francisco | The Ritz-Carlton
Kathryn Larkin to Speak at Pennsylvania Bar Institute Program on ERISA for In-House and Corporate Counsel
August 21, 2009 | Philadelphia | CLE Conference Center
Full list of Duane Morris Events
Bylined Articles
Medicare Secondary Payer Statute: New Reporting Requirements for Products Liability and Toxic Tort Clients
By Sharon Caffrey, Christopher Crosswhite and John Lyons | New Jersey Law Journal | December 8, 2009
The Employee Free Choice Act - What's an Employer to Do?
By Eve I. Klein, Bruce J. Kasten and Joanna R. Varon | New York State Bar Journal | September 2009
Suggestions for Health Care Facilities to Limit Legal Risks Under Act 102
By Jennifer Blum Feldman | The Legal Intelligencer | August 28, 2009
Alternative Fee Arrangements: Who's Responsible for Making Them Work?
By Rebecca M. Lamberth, Stephanie A. Hansen and Christina C. Marshall | California Litigation | Vol. 22, No. 2
Viability of the Federal Preemption Defense Post-Levine
By Sharon L. Caffrey, Alan Klein and Paul M. da Costa | Drug and Medical Device, For The Defense | July 2009
Medicaid Integrity Program: Piled Higher and Deeper
By Joanne B. Erde, P.A. | Modern Healthcare | June 2009
