By Phyllis Horn Epstein

The rain was unrelenting inState College as members of thePBA Commission on Women inthe Profession gathered onOctober 21 and 22 at the NittanyLion Inn for their Fall LeadershipRetreat, organized smoothly bythis year’s co-chairs Dana Baioccoand Shelley Goldner. Gray skiesfailed to dampen the enthusiasmfor programs designed to continuelast year’s theme of women’s lead-ership in the legal profession, con-ceived by co-chairs KathleenWilkinson and Rhoda Neft.

At the retreat, the commissionparticipated in “Make a DifferenceDay,” a USA Today-sponsoredevent, by collecting books, non-perishable food items and moneyfor Ronald McDonald Housesthroughout Pennsylvania. RonaldMcDonald Houses provide resi-dences for families of childrenwho are receiving treatment forserious and long-term illnesses atnearby hospitals. Commissionmembers Kim Jessum and NicoleGerson organized the commis-sion’s “Make a Difference Day”participation. They remind those

who were unable to bring theirdonations to the retreat this yearthat donations can be delivereddirectly to a Ronald McDonaldHouse. They also asked us tomake a difference beyond one dayand to consider participating in afuture cook-in at a RonaldMcDonald House. The location ofRonald McDonald Houses andmore information about the chari-ty can be found at www.rmhc.org.

Friday evening included apanel discussion entitled “How toAdvance to Leadership Positionsin the Bar Association,” presentedby the Promotion of WomenCommittee, whose co-chairs arePenina Kessler Lieber andJacqueline Shogan. The impres-sive list of panelists included BillCarlucci, president of the PBA;Ken Horoho, president-elect ofthe PBA; Leslie Anne Miller, thefirst woman president of the PBA;and Stephanie Latimore andGretchen Mundorff, former PBAboard members. State Rep. KathyManderino was the host for thispanel discussion. She started theprogram by having each panelistdescribe how he or she becamemotivated to become active in the

PBA. Bill Carlucci had providedus with a humorous metaphor (Ihope it was a metaphor!) in hisdinner speech, comparing hisinvolvement to something out ofthe classic movie “Invasion of theBody Snatchers.” Carlucci said hebelieves that in some mysteriousway, an alien pod was depositedbedside, and while he slept, aliensinvaded his body and co-opted itfor PBA leadership. Truth or fic-tion? Reality or metaphor? Trickor treat? Either way, it helps toexplain his full-time devotion tothe PBA. Many of our panelistspicked up this theme and

VOLUME 10, NUMBER 3 FALL 2005

A NEWSLETTER FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA BAR ASSOCIATION COMMISSION ON WOMEN IN THE PROFESSION

iewsV oices&

Retreat in State College Takes Leadership “to the Next Level”

Also

in

this

Iss

ue .

. .

. .

.

Editor’s Message 2

WIP Leadership 2

Directory! Directory! Directory! 4

New Members 4

Join the WIP 4

Reversing the Gender Gap In Law Firms 5

Women Lawyers Steered to 19th CenturyPiecework at Home and at the Office 6

Your PBA Listserv 7

Commission Members in the News 8

Nominations Sought for WIP Awards 9

“Scene” at the Retreat 10

(Continued on Page 3)

2

Voices & Views

Editor’s Message

CO-CHAIRS:Rhoda NeftKathleen Wilkinson

CO-VICE CHAIRS:Susan WilliamsJennifer Zimmerman

SECRETARY:Phyllis Horn Epstein

TREASURER:Maria Etzrodt Gibbons

COMMITTEES

REPORT CARD:Marina AngelNancy Conrad

2006 ANNUAL CONFERENCE:Laura WilliamsTracy McCurdy

AWARDS:Marie Mille JonesRoslyn G. Pollack

COMMUNICATIONS:Phyllis Horn EpsteinRenee Bergmann

PROMOTION OF WOMEN:Penina LieberJacqueline Shogan

MEMBERSHIP:Andrea GeraghtySuzanne Mayes

GOVERNANCE:Hon. Maureen Lally-GreenSarah Yerger

NOMINATIONS:Hon. Donetta AmbroseKelly B. Stapleton

2005 RetreatDana BaioccoShelly Goldner

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE:Mary DohertyCynthia MaleskiHon. Susan Gantman

QUALITY OF LIFE:Pamela Cross Shira Goodman

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS:Brenda McBrideJennifer McHugh

BOARD OF GOVERNORS LIAISON

Hon. Kathy ManderinoNEWSLETTER EDITOR:

Phyllis Horn EpsteinPBA LIAISON:

Diann StinneyPBA NEWSLETTER LIAISON:

Patricia M. Graybill

PBA Commission on Women in the Profession

LeadershipDriving home from the retreat

in State College in the pouring rain,I had ample time to reflect uponthis year’s retreat and the conversa-tions I had with commission mem-bers, new and old. I was remindedhow attending meetings with myfellow commission members ener-gizes me. I know at the outset thereis always some grumbling abouthow far we each must drive to meetas a group, but we are a statewideorganization and our membersreside from Philadelphia to Erie. Atrip to State College brings ustogether and reminds us that wehave more in common than ourregional differences.

I came away from this year’sretreat with one particular mes-sage in mind and that came from aconversation I had with BillCarlucci, PBA president, Fridaynight after the panel discussion.Our conversation was a follow-upon something he had tried to sayas a panelist but I think got lost inthe larger discussion about thepath to becoming PBA president.The message was about leader-ship. Bill’s message was simple.There are many paths to leader-ship and many final destinations;PBA president is just one. Thereare many opportunities to leadand all are worthy of our recogni-tion. By way of example, he notedthat the chair of a committee ismost certainly a “leader” withoutqualification. Bill suggested thatwe need to value those in the hier-archy of our institutions who holdleadership positions at all levels.

It struck me that this was themessage I had been hoping to sendwhen I wrote my book, Women-at-Law. We need to be trailblazers in

the redefining of our own success.We need to determine for our-selves what mixture of personaland professional works for us,rather than judge ourselves bysome external standard that sendsfalse messages like, “only the pres-ident of the PBA is a leader or asuccessful individual.” I waspleased to hear similar sentimentsexpressed by several membersover the weekend. The tools welearned to use this weekend willhopefully empower us to achievethose goals.

This issue of Voices and Viewshas some photographs from ourfall retreat at the Nittany Lion Inn. Our newsletter includes aninsightful article by ProfessorMarina Angel bringing us up-to-date with recent statistics on theslow progress of women in thelegal profession, which has pro-pelled us to join Professor Angel insoliciting personal accounts fromour membership at efforts to defyrecent statistics. We’d love to hearfrom you and will publish yourresponses in future newsletters.

And last but not least, manythanks to Diann Stinney, our PBAcommittee liaison, for her support.Diann is the force that makes every-thing possible. I hope you enjoythis edition of Voices and Views.

Please send information, news andarticles for Voices & Views to:

Phyllis Horn EpsteinEpstein Shapiro & Epstein

1515 Market St., 15th Floor,Philadelphia, PA 19102-1979,

(215) 563-1200, fax (215) 564-5132e-mail: phyllis@eselaw.com

Fall 2005

3

explained how a “pod” had beenplanted by their side by someoneor some event that ultimately pro-vided their motivation to becomea leader in the PBA.

After introductions, our pan-elists undertook the difficult taskof charting the process for electionto PBA office. I don’t think I cangive a full explanation here butsuffice it to say that part of theconfusion lies in the disparity ofapproaches by each county toappointing or electing zone gover-nors or delegates.

“There is no uniformity in thePBA,” Leslie Anne Miller con-firmed. The ultimate “prize,” pres-ident of the PBA, is proposed bythe PBA Nominating Committeefor approval by the House ofDelegates, along with a full slate ofofficers (which is almost alwaysapproved). The NominatingCommittee is composed of 12 zonegovernors, one minority seat, oneseat for a woman-at-large, one seatfor the past chair of the YoungLawyers Division, one seat for UnitCounty governor, five seats for theimmediate past bar presidents, oneseat for the county bar leadershippresident and five seats for sectionand committee leaders.

Although many retreat atten-dees continued “scratching theirheads” at the system, the presen-tation was an invaluable start tounderstanding the road to PBAleadership. Perhaps the most use-ful advice came from Leslie AnneMiller who urged members toconcentrate on our “own record.”That is, concentrate on being ourbest at our work, volunteer forcommittee involvement and doour best so as to earn the profes-sional respect of our colleagues.

The next morning we enjoyeda program entitled “Power Toolsfor Women: Plugging Into theEssential Skills for Work and Life”presented by Joni Daniels, andbased upon her book by the sametitle. Daniels admits that hermetaphor of “power tools” is agimmick but one she believesaffords women a shorthand tool-box of advice for attaining successat work and in personal relation-ships. For example, putting on“safety goggles” lets you set yourgoals and see them more clearly.“Tape measures” can help you setyour own limits and hold ontothem. “Power saws” cut out self-defeating habits or people whohold you back from your goals.“Duct tape” can hold things

together temporarily while you’resorting out solutions. Daniels wasa natural follow up to last year’sdynamic leadership program fea-turing Doug Richardson andElizabeth Dow. Those workshopsafforded us an interactive forumto explore personal leadershipstyles with the opportunity toreflect upon our motivations forbecoming lawyers, and effective-ness in our work.

This year, several members ofthe commission attended theretreat for their first time. We givea special welcome to Gina N.D’Alfonso, Jill C. Engle, ChristelErtel, Linda Ficht, Tieffa Harper,Sabina Howell, Susan Johnston,Chipo Mafarachi Jolibois, MarieKramer, Joanne Lichtens Lubart,Ingrid Lundberg, Janet Miller,Diane Murphy, Jan MatthewTamanini, Lea Terlonge andFrancine Monique White.

The commission has plans forthree midyear programs: inPhiladelphia (Feb. 13, 2006),Harrisburg (Feb. 14, 2006) andPittsburgh (March 2006), followedby the annual meeting on June 7.Stay posted.

Retreat in State College Takes Leadership “to the Next Level”

“I think when I stepped into it I would have said the timing was not my choosing. I have a young family. And I guess in

a perfect world ... you do make trade-offs in this world and, you know, part of it is ... that there is tension in terms of

wanting to spend time with my kids and spending time at home with my family. But everybody faces that in their [sic]

job. So was the timing ideal from a personal standpoint? No. But you can’t choose your timing.” William Clay Ford Jr.,

upon accepting the position of chief executive of Ford Motor Company as quoted by the New York Times on Oct. 19,

2005, Page C1, “His Family and the Family.”

(Continued from Page 1)

Voices & Views

4

Directory!Directory!Directory!

New Members

The Commission on Womenin the Profession MembershipDirectory is available on thePBA Web site (www.pabar.org).You can reach it at www.pabar.org/pdf/WIPdirectoryBW.pdfor by clicking on “CommitteesInfo” and then “Commission onWomen in the Profession.” Theelectronic version includeseverything that appeared in thehard copy, including indices bycounty and area of concentra-tion.

If you are not yet in thedirectory, you can simply fill outthe form online in order to beadded. The online submissionform is on the “Members Only”side of the Web site, so you willneed your Pennsylvania BarAssociation membership num-ber in order to log in.

If possible, also either senda digital or original photograph(at least 2" x 3") to PatriciaGraybill, Pennsylvania BarAssociation, P.O. Box 186,Harrisburg, PA 19108-0186,patricia.graybill@pabar.org.

The directory is a greatsource for referrals to hundredsof women lawyers skilled inevery area of the law. Thesewomen are also available toanswer questions you mighthave about practice in othercounties of the commonwealth.This network of friends can beof immeasurable help in yoursatisfaction with and success inthe law.

Join the PBA Commission onWomen in the Profession

The Commission on Women in the Profession continues to grow,a tribute to the commission’s ability to provide women lawyers with a friend-ly venue for networking, mentoring and sharing experiences. All members ofthe PBA are welcome.

We offer three convenient methods to join: 1. Check “Committee on Women in the Profession” on the nextCommittee Request form (and currently available on the PBA home page).2. Go to the PBA Web site: www.pabar.org; then click on “CommitteesInfo.” Then, click on “Committee Sign-Up Brochure,” complete the request-ed information and then scroll down and check “Women in the Profession.”3. Contact Diann Stinney, PBA, 100 South Street, P.O. Box 186,Harrisburg, PA, 17108, e-mail: diann.stinney@ pabar.org.

REMEMBER: In order to maintain membership in the Commissionon Women in the Profession, you must renew your commissionmembership each year.

The Commission on Women in the Profession is pleased to welcomeseveral new members, noted below with their respective counties.

We look forward to meeting them!

Alison Altman, Philadelphia

Hilary A. Bendik, Allegheny

Sylvia M. Bruni-Carroll, Montgomery

Maureen K. Collins, Luzerne

Tricia L. Davis, Allegheny

Linda S. Ficht, Luzerne

Christina Frangiosa, Philadelphia

Emily B. Geer, Delaware

Elizabeth A. Hallowell, New Jersey

Ashley Kline Handwerk, out-of-state

Cindy Dunlap Hinkle, Allegheny

Kellie MacCready, Philadelphia

Alexis C. M. Park, Bucks

Nadia N. Sawicki, Philadelphia

Elizabeth Simcox, Dauphin

Laura Taylor, out-of-state

Lisa Woodburn, Dauphin

Fall 2005

5

By Phyllis Horn Epstein

Flex-Time Lawyers, L.L.C.hosted a conference on Oct. 24, atthe Philadelphia offices of BallardSpahr Andrews & Ingersoll,L.L.P., on “Reversing the GenderGap in Law Firms: Why it’s inBoth the Law Firms’ and Lawyers’Economic Interest and How toMake it Happen.” Marina Angel,professor of law at TempleUniversity School of Law, wasjoined by panelists Lynn R.Axelroth, managing partner of thePhiladelphia office of BallardSpahr, and Andrew Chirls, chan-cellor of the Philadelphia BarAssociation and partner, Wolf,Block, Schorr and Solis-CohenL.L.P., in a discussion led byDeborah Henry Epstein, founderof Flex-Time Lawyers, on theretention and promotion of talent-ed women lawyers.

Professor Angel opened withsome results of the most recentPBA “Report Card,” which showthat women lawyers compriseonly 17 percent of equity partnersand 79 percent of all part-timeemployees. These numbers werejuxtaposed with the findings of themost recent Philadelphia BarAssociation membership survey,which indicate that women areleaving larger firms and the pro-fession after the age of 35 in largenumbers. Professor Angel faults,in large part, the billable hourdemands of the large firm. “It isnot humanly possible to put in thehours and have a real life,” shestated, to nods of assent from theaudience of over 50 women profes-sionals. Also presenting a difficul-

ty for young women, according toProfessor Angel, is the intensityand duration of partnership track-ing that used to take seven yearsand now take from nine to 12.These are the years, she pointedout, that a young woman, graduat-ing law school at the age of 25, forexample, has the added pressureof finding romance, marrying andbearing children before 35, whenstatistics tell us she has a reducedchance of conceiving, and anincreased risk of bearing a childwith birth defects. If they are notmaking it to the top by the age of35, Professor Angel implores,“Women have to realize it’s nottheir fault.” She added that manyyoung women today see the femi-nist movement as history with allthe battles fought and won. Sheurges us to teach young womenearlier on that “traditional discrim-ination and stereotyping is aliveand well.”

Lynn Axelroth expressed apositive view of the large lawfirm’s opportunities for womenwho are seeking reduced hours.More lawyers translate to greaterdepartmental resources and suffi-cient manpower (and womanpower) to backup part-timeemployees, which, she believes,are not available in smaller firms.In her view — one that manyshare — completely withdrawingfrom the practice of law makes ittougher to return to work. Part

time or “reduced” time has theadvantage of allowing a woman tostay at work with more compati-ble hours.

What wasn’t brought outenough in the discussion is thereality of part-time work thatoften still means a workweek of 40hours, but with reduced pay andno benefits. This is hardly whatmost would consider a “reduced”schedule, especially given reportsthat most part-time employeeshave difficulties maintaining theboundaries of their work day andwind up putting in more than thehours they bargained for.

Andrew Chirls was wellacquainted with the realities of“reduced” time, which couldmean 110 percent rather than 130percent of a woman’s time. Heoffered the support of thePhiladelphia Bar Association tofind ways to confront the problemof retaining women in the legalprofession and acknowledged thatpolicies alone will not undo theproblems. Chirls advised womento “develop mentors and peoplewho will push for you.” He rec-ommended that women maintainnetworks and professional con-nections throughout all phases oftheir careers.

The questions and commentsfrom the audience reflected per-sonal efforts to deal with issues ofbalance and gender fairness.

Reversing the Gender Gap in Law Firms: Why it’s in Both the LawFirms’ and Lawyers’ Economic Interest and How to Make it Happen

Lynn Axelroth expressed apositive view of the largelaw firm’s opportunities forwomen who are seekingreduced hours.

... [Andrew] Chirls advisedwomen to “developmentors and peoplewho will push for you.”

(Continued on Page 7)

By Marina Angel, Professor of Law,Temple Law School

Every study of large firmsshows all women, and men ofcolor, disappearing from the part-nership track within six years ofarriving. Why? (1) Traditional dis-crimination is alive and well andmay be getting worse. We canjudge by the blatantly sexualizedportrayals of women in ads, filmsand video. Sexual harassmentincreases in work places are dom-inated by one gender, and ournumbers were never high in manyprofessional workplaces and arestarting to drop in many. (2)Women have the higher educationdegrees that have been the tradi-tional tickets to success in theUnited States. We have been over50 percent of college students for15 years, and almost 50 percent oflaw students for several years.Unfortunately, “Women boughttheir tickets after the gravy trainleft the station.” The workplacehas been reconfigured to mini-mize our numbers in high-payingpower positions and to pay us forpiecework at home (with comput-ers) and at the office (as contractlawyers). Women are back toworking under the piecework sys-tem that existed in the garmentindustry in the late 19th and early20th centuries.

In my day, it was seven yearsup or out for law firm partnershipand university tenure. At manylarge law firms, it’s now nine to 12years to junior partner (a salaried,at-will position) and another threeto five years to equity partner. It is

harder to make equity partner andfewer succeed. More and moremoney goes to fewer equity part-ners, and the money gap is growingbetween those top equity partnersand all other lawyers in large firms.

A young woman finishing lawschool at 25 can aspire to juniorpartnership at 35, and equity part-nership at 40. If she succeeds, sheprobably lost her childbearingyears. With the expectation of2,000+ billable hours, she didn’thave time to find a partner, con-ceive, give birth, and bond withher child.

Women, and men of color, areunwilling to “sell their souls to thecompany store,” so they drop offpartnership track. White males,trapped in their own stereotype ofaggressive over-achievers, remainin higher numbers. Nevertheless,an ABA study shows that the high-est degrees of lawyer dissatisfac-tion exists at large firms. I havetaken to telling my students, bothwomen and men, “Go to the largefirm, continue to live like a poorstudent, take their money and payoff your student loans, take theirtraining, and after three yearsleave and find a legal job you like.”

Where do women go after theydrop off partnership track? Mostneed to earn money. For some,firms have created new categoriesof lawyers: permanent seniorassociates, permanent junior part-ners, legal specialists and contractlawyers (called associates). Theold category of “of counsel” hasbeen expanded beyond recogni-tion. All these positions provideno job security, no real power and,often, no fringe benefits. They

require slightly shorter hours, 40billable hours a week (a normalwork week for most people),instead of 60. But the pay is notequitable — 60 percent for two-thirds of a “normal” work sched-ule. Some women become low-level administrators in charge ofrecruiting, associates or diversity,at even lower pay.

Some women go to the nearestlaw school dean and ask aboutteaching. They get what soundslike a nice title — associate orassistant dean or director of a pro-gram. They often teach half time.They have no security, little to nopower, and often no fringe bene-fits. They may be hired as full-timefaculty but in contract rather thantenure track positions as legalwriting teachers and clinicians.

The number and percentage ofwomen on tenure track is falling!Entry-level tenure track assistantprofessor positions are open tothose who have the time to writeone or two traditional law reviewarticles while working 2,000+ bill-able hours. These are usuallyyoung men, because men tradi-tionally have no or minimal careresponsibilities and because theyoften have a wife to take care ofthe petty details of life. In the lasttwo years, my own school hiredsix men on tenure track (fourwhite, one black, and one Asian— two of them with instanttenure), one white woman as atenure track assistant professorand one black woman as a legalwriting teacher.

The Philadelphia Bar Associa-tion’s new survey shows the “typ-

Voices & Views

Women Lawyers Are Steered to 19th Century Piecework at Home and at the Office

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(Continued on Page 7)

ical” Philadelphia lawyer is white,male, 49, a partner in his firm, andmarried with a full-time workingwife. In 1990, women were 25 per-cent of the lawyers in Philadel-phia; in 1995, 30 percent with aprojection of future parity; and in2000, 34 percent. In 2005, the num-ber of women lawyers hasdropped back to 30 percent. Thenumbers are going down despitethe number of women law schoolgraduates. Women are now 45percent of the lawyers in Phila-delphia under 35, but women aredropping out of large firms andother areas of practice. Many areleaving the profession. Unlessthings change drastically, therewill never be parity in numbers,status and income.

Successful men are marriedwith children. Successful womentend to be unmarried and withoutchildren. Discriminatory organi-zational structures keep womenout of positions of power, prestigeand money, and destroy any pos-sibility of diversity at the top ofthe legal hierarchy. Women whowant the family life that success-ful men enjoy are channeled intopiecework positions.

Editor’s Note: Professor Angel joinsus in asking our members to submittheir personal stories about findingthe right work-life balance. We wouldbe interested in hearing from womenwho have defied the statistics andhope that they would offer theirinsights into beating the odds.

Women Lawyers AreSteered to 19thCentury Piecework atHome and at the Office

Fall 2005

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(Continued from Page 6)

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Your PBA Listserv

Lynn Axelroth reminded us ofthe basic premise that law firmsare businesses and that compensa-tion will reflect one’s value to thefirm regardless of the number ofhours worked. The counterpart, aspointed out by members of theaudience, is that women’s abilityto bring in the type of business —generally large Fortune 500 com-

panies — sought after by largefirms is monumentally difficult.Which leads to the conclusion thatif money and business are thekeys, women’s future success andstrides in altering the law firm cul-ture will go hand-in-hand withtheir successes as rainmakers fortheir firms rather than as workerbees.

Reversing the Gender Gap in Law Firms:Why it’s in Both the Law Firms’ and Lawyers’Economic Interest and How to Make it Happen

(Continued from Page 5)

Suzanne S. Mayes of Saul Ewing,L.L.P., has been elected to theboard of trustees of ManorCollege, Jenkintown, and has alsobeen admitted to the Forum ofExecutive Women.

Superior Court Judge SusanPeikes Gantman served as a fac-ulty member of the Lawyers’ Clubof Philadelphia CLE “Trial byJudge” on July 28. The programaddressed specific phases of trialproceedings. Judge Gantmanspoke on appellate advocacy andprovided judicial insight andinformation in response to theparticipants’ questions.

Judge Gantman also served asa faculty member at the Pennsyl-vania Bar Association CLE“Winning Your Case on Appeal”on August 10. The course coveredall facets of oral arguments andvarious protocols of the court.Judge Gantman focused on whatshould be included in the brief ofan appellant and the rules control-ling the drafting of a brief. Bothevents were well attended bymembers of the bar.

After a little over a year inPlymouth Meeting, DeborahWeinstein has moved the Wein-stein Firm back to Philadelphia –1800 JFK Boulevard, Suite 1720,19103, (phone) 215-636-0616, (fax)215-494-5556, dweinstein@weinsteinfirm. com. The firmhosts a variety of events, trainingsessions and briefings on work-force-related issues and topics.

Weinstein Consulting is anew, related division. The consult-ing division uses “SmartMoves,”an anti-harassment program, as acenterpiece for their clients’ diver-

sity strategies. The legal divisionprovides expert witness analysis,reports and testimony for use inlitigation and arbitrations. Bothdivisions are engaged in analyz-ing executive and professionalcompensation plans.

The Weinstein Firm wasselected by the Supreme Court ofPennsylvania Continuing LegalEducation Board as an accreditedprovider of CLE.

Deborah Weinstein will bereturning to the Wharton Schoolthis spring to teach “The Law atWork: Employment Law forManagers.”

Roberta D. Liebenberg, a partnerat Fine, Kaplan and Black, hasbeen appointed to the AmericanBar Association’s StandingCommittee on Federal Judiciary, aprestigious 15-member panel thatevaluates and rates judicial nomi-nees for federal courts, includingthe U.S. Supreme Court.

Liebenberg, who specializes incomplex commercial litigation,particularly class actions in theareas of antitrust and consumerfraud, was appointed to a three-year term by ABA PresidentMichael S. Greco. Members of thecommittee conduct a unique con-fidential peer review that includesextensive interviews of judges,lawyers and others who can pro-vide input on a judicial nominee’sprofessional background.

Since 1952, the committee hasevaluated the professional qualifi-cations of all nominees to theSupreme Court, U.S. CircuitCourts of Appeals, District Courtsand the Court of InternationalTrade. The committee’s evalua-tion focuses on a nominee’s

integrity, competence and judicialtemperament, and does not con-sider either philosophy or ideolo-gy. Its findings are submitted tothe Senate Judiciary Committeeand the president of the UnitedStates.

Penina Kessler Lieber ofObermayer Rebmann Maxwell &Hippel L.L.P., announced the pub-lication of her book, The CompleteGuide to Nonprofit Organizations.The book contains guidance onlaw, taxation and operationalplanning issues for nonprofitorganizations. This is her secondbook on nonprofit law. The firstwas The Tax Treatment of NGOs(2004) relating to international taxtreatment of nongovernmentalorganizations.

On Sept. 7, Justice Sandra SchulzNewman addressed the StateCivil Litigation Section of thePhiladelphia Bar Association.Justice Newman won an addition-al term to the PennsylvaniaSupreme Court on Nov. 8. All thebest to her from the commission.

Pennsylvania Superior CourtJudge Phyllis W. Beck wasawarded the Philadelphia BarAssociation’s Sandra DayO’Connor Award at a luncheon atthe Park Hyatt Philadelphia onOct. 18. Judge Beck has been a rolemodel for women lawyers for herwork on the Superior Court, forher leadership with the “BeckReport,” and for her efforts at bal-ancing family life with work. Shewas the first woman appointed tothe Superior Court by Gov. DickThornburgh in 1981. Judge Beckwon re-election in 1983 and was

Voices & Views

Commission Members in the News

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retained in 1993. Donna Brazile,former manager of Al Gore’s 2000election campaign, was thekeynote speaker at the luncheon.

U.S. District Court Senior JudgeNorma L. Shapiro, Ellen T.Greenlee, Deborah R. Willig andAudrey C. Talley were featuredspeakers before the PhiladelphiaWomen in the ProfessionCommittee on July 26.

Kimberly A. Boyer, co-chair ofthe Women in the ProfessionCommittee of the Philadelphia BarAssociation, sponsored a paneldiscussion on Aug. 23 withPhiladelphia Court of CommonPleas Judges Nina Wright-Padilla, Marlene F. Lachman,Annette M. Rizzo and U.S.District Court Judge Anita BBrody revealing their individualpaths to the bench and insightsabout their work.

On Oct. 11, Kathleen D.Wilkinson, co-chair of the com-mission, was nominated for theoffice of assistant secretary of thePhiladelphia Bar Association.

Wilkinson has been appointedby the Pennsylvania SupremeCourt for a three-year term on theRules of Evidence Committee. Shewas nominated by Justice SandraSchulz Newman to serve on thisprestigious committee.

Deborah Henry Epstein, founderof Flex-Time Lawyers L.L.C.,joined a panel discussion on Sept.27, before the PhiladelphiaWomen in the ProfessionCommittee, offering her insightsand advice on work-life balanceissues.

Mary Sue Ramsden was selecteda “Superlawyer” by the publishersof Philadelphia Magazine. Ramsdenwas recently the course plannerfor the PBI seminar “AdvancedIssues & Practical Application ofthe 2005 Divorce Code Amend-ments” conducted in four loca-tions across the state. She will alsobe a panelist in the Custody LawUpdate. She concentrates herpractice in matrimonial law.

Leslie Anne Miller recentlyreceived both an appointment andan honor from Temple University.Miller was appointed to the Boardof Visitors of Temple UniversityBeasley School of Law. She wasalso inducted into the Hall ofFame, sponsored by TempleUniversity’s League for Entrepre-neurial Women, which honorswomen for their achievements asinnovators, entrepreneurs andleaders in the Philadelphia regionand beyond.

Commission Members in the News

Fall 2005

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Anne X. Alpern AwardThe time has come again for nomina-tions for the PBA Anne X. AlpernAward. Your nominee must be a femalemember of the Pennsylvania bar, eitherpracticing law in the commonwealth orotherwise professionally based inPennsylvania. The award recognizes awoman who has “had a significant pro-fessional impact in Pennsylvania, hav-ing demonstrated leadership in her law-related profession and her communityand having participated in mentoringactivities.” Anne X. Alpern was Pennsyl-vania’s state attorney general in 1959and the first woman in the country tohold that position. Last year’s awardwent to Pennsylvania Supreme CourtJustice Sandra Schulz Newman. A nom-ination form and criteria are availableonline from the PBA Women in theProfession Committee Web page at:www.pabar.org. All nominations mustbe submitted no later than Dec. 30,2005.

Lynette Norton AwardThe Lynette Norton Award, established inmemory of Lynette Norton, one of thefounding members of the PBA Commis-sion on Women in the Profession, is alsoaccepting nominations for 2006. A liti-gator and accomplished lawyer, LynetteNorton is remembered within the com-mission as an untiring advocate, rolemodel and mentor for women. TheLynette Norton award recognizes aPennsylvania woman attorney and litiga-tor who has been a leader in mentoringother women attorneys. The 2004award was given to Melinda Ghilardi.A nomination form for this award maybe found online at the cite for the PBAWomen in the Profession Committee atwww.pabar.org. All nominations must besubmitted no later than Dec. 30, 2005.

NominationsSought for

WIP Awards

9

Voices & Views

10

“Scene” at the Retreat - Oct. 21-22, 2005, State College

Stephanie Latimore, Gretchen Mundorff andLeslie Anne Miller

Shelley Goldner, Rhoda Neft, Kathleen Wilkinsonand Dana Baiocco

Bernadine Munley, Lisa Detwiler and Kelly Stapleton

Marci Miller (foreground), Mary Doherty,Lea Terlonge and Kathleen Wilkinson

The traditional “fireside” gathering of retreat attendees

Jennifer Zimmerman and Lisa Woodburn

COPYRIGHT© 2005 BY THE PBA COMMISSION ON WOMEN IN THE PROFESSION.