Women's Impact Network for Success

Sharon L. Caffrey received the 2021 Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award, which recognizes significant contributions to women in the profession, including professional development of women lawyers and the advancement of women lawyers in the profession. Ms. Caffrey serves as co-chair of Duane Morris' Trial Practice Group and concentrates her practice in the areas of mass tort, products liability and toxic tort litigation. She founded and chaired the Women's Impact Network for Success for seven years.

Brooke B. Tabshouri received the 2021 Margery Reed Professional Excellence Award, which recognizes significant contributions toward creating, modeling, and/or mentoring others regarding issues of work-life management. Ms. Tabshouri practices in the area of employment and labor law, defending employers and management in all stages of single plaintiff and class action litigation, at state and federal level, against claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour violations and trade secrets theft.

Sandra Jeskie, partner and chair of WINS, received a Professional BusinessWomen of California (PBWC) 2021 Industry Leader Award. The honor is given to those who have demonstrated excellence connecting, mentoring and advancing women; who have led groundbreaking and industry-changing innovation; or who have provided unique and unparalleled inspiration to their companies or their communities at large. Ms. Jeskie's practice includes commercial litigation, software litigation, privacy, data security, Internet of Things (IOT), big data, wearable technology and information technology.

Nanette Heide, partner and co-chair of the firm's Private Equity Group, has been named to Mergers & Acquisitions 2021 list of Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A for the fourth consecutive year.  Ms. Heide is also co-founder of Exponent Women, a new platform for women finance professionals to exchange ideas, information and introductions.

Cyndie M. Chang, managing partner of the Los Angeles office, was named a 2021 Minority Leader of Influence by Los Angeles Business Journal. She received the 2019 Duane Morris Margery Reed Professional Excellence Award. Ms. Chang serves on the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession for 2018-2019. She was honored with the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association’s first-ever Trailblazer Award. Ms. Chang is a past president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), which represents the interest of more than 50,000 attorneys and over 75 national, state and local bar associations. 

Linda B. Hollinshead  received the 2020 Margery Reed Professional Excellence Award. She practices in the area of employment law. Ms. Hollinshead provides training and counseling to employers throughout the country on a variety of subjects, including monitoring employee attendance, FMLA compliance, medical and religious accommodations, leaves of absence policies, harassment and discrimination prevention, responding to harassment and discrimination claims, FLSA and wage and hour compliance, including employee misclassification, diversity and inclusion, termination of employees, hiring practices, performance appraisals and performance management. 

Lisa T. Scruggs received a 2020 Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award. Ms. Scruggs provides litigation and counseling services for education and school-reform organizations, including individual charter and private schools, charter school networks, charter and education management organizations, school districts and other education nonprofit and for-profit organizations and service providers. She handles a wide range of litigation, transactions and policy matters relating to new school development, teacher evaluation, credentialing and certification reforms, public/private education ventures, virtual education, school finance, and parent and student civil rights. She has been named to Crain's Chicago Business' list of Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting & Law in 2019 and list of Notable Women Lawyers in 2018.

Duane Morris partner Dominica Anderson has been elected President and Board Chair of Professional BusinessWomen of California, a nonprofit organization committed to helping women achieve their own ambitions and collectively advance gender equality in professional settings. Ms. Anderson serves as managing partner of Duane Morris’ Las Vegas office, practices in both the firm’s Las Vegas and San Francisco offices. She is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and the governing Partners Board, and serves as vice chair of the Duane Morris Women’s Impact Network for Success Steering Committee.

Lisa Spiegel is now chair of the Immigration division of the firm's Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group. Ms. Spiegel has more than 30 years of experience practicing in the areas of immigration and nationality law, concentrating on issues related to the employment of foreign nationals. She is a past chair of the Northern California chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA),and has served on numerous committees for AILA. In addition, Ms. Spiegel is president of the board of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.

Jennifer A. Kearns, a partner in the firm’s San Diego office, was honored with a San Diego Business Journal 2018 Business Women of the Year Award. Each year, the publication recognizes dynamic women business leaders who have contributed significantly to San Diego’s workplaces and communities. Ms. Kearns is a business and employment law with 30 years of experience in advising and defending the interests of business owners. In addition to her practice, she has a 25 year history of supporting Mama’s Kitchen, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides 100 percent nutrition to persons who are affected by AIDS/HIV or cancer and are unable to provide for their own nutritional needs. She is currently a member of the board of directors and secretary, and is a past president of its board of directors. 

Meagen E. Leary, a partner in the firm’s San Francisco office, has been named co-chair of the Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring Practice Group. Ms. Leary maintains a national creditors' rights, commercial real estate finance and bankruptcy practice. Her clients include institutional lenders, CMBS servicers, REITs, debt funds and other diverse businesses. Ms. Leary and her team handle all aspects of commercial loan workouts, bankruptcies, real estate finance and lender liability litigation, and commercial loan and real estate transactions. She received the 2017 Margery Reed Professional Excellence Award for her ability to establish and nurture client relationships.

Sheila Slocum Hollis, partner in the Washington, D.C. office, received the Legacy Award from Petroleum Economist, an energy industry publication. Sheila is part of the American Bar Association Women Trailblazers in the Law Project (WTP), which captures the oral histories of women pioneers in the legal profession nationwide, memorializing their stories in their own voices and preserving their experiences and observations for future generations. She was a recipient of the Offshore Excellence Award, Acquisition International, in 2016. Ms. Hollis received the Cheryl Blackwell Bryson Leadership Award in 2012.

Valentine A. Brown received the Women's Impact Network for Success Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award, which recognizes significant contributions, including professional development, leadership and mentoring, made by a lawyer to women in the legal profession. The award is named in honor of the late Cheryl Blackwell Bryson, a Duane Morris partner in Chicago who died in January 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Ms. Brown was selected for being an advocate and mentor to women at Duane Morris and beyond. Since 2015, she has led the firm’s all-female pro bono team that has more than doubled Duane Morris’ pro bono performance metrics. Ms. Brown has diversified the focus of the firm’s pro bono program to include representation of female survivors of military sexual trauma, mothers of children in foster care and immigrant victims of domestic violence. 

Christiane Schuman Campbell has been named a "Cannabis Law Trailblazer" by National Law Journal.  The inaugural list honors individuals "who are involved in all areas of cannabis law from helping regulate the marketing to providing licensing to new companies." The publication writes: "Christiane Campbell doesn't consider herself a cannabis lawyer but a trademark and brand lawyer with a focus on highly regulated spaces. She chose to help cannabis businesses develop strategies for regulatory, business, licensing and intellectual property protection and guidance."

Hope P. Krebs, partner and co-chair of the International Practice Group, has been named one of Philadelphia Business Journal's "Best of the Bar." Ms. Krebs is recognized for her significant and recent achievements in the area of tax. Ms. Krebs is the first woman to be appointed chair of Multilaw, the Multinational Association of Independent Law Firms, and sits on the Management Committee of this legal network with 9,000 members in more than 150 commercial centers around the world. 

Rosanne Ciambrone, partner in the Chicago office, has been named to Crain’s Custom Media list of Chicago’s Notable Women Lawyers 2018. Recipients were nominated by colleagues and represent the women lawyers in Chicago who have made significant contributions to their industry over the last year. Nominees were selected for their ability to effect change in their role and area of practice, mentorship to other women attorneys and leadership roles outside of the candidates’ own organizations. Ms. Ciambrone practices in the area of business reorganization, financial restructuring, bankruptcy law and commercial litigation. She represents both borrowers and lenders in all facets of bankruptcy as well as in and out-of-court restructurings. She is a member of the International Women’s Insolvency Restructuring Confederation, the Justinian Society and the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Chicago partner Patricia S. Hofstra has been named to Crain’s Custom Media list of Chicago’s Notable Women Lawyers 2018. Recipients were nominated by colleagues and represent the women lawyers in Chicago who have made significant contributions to their industry over the last year. Nominees were selected for their ability to effect change in their role and area of practice, mentorship to other women attorneys and leadership roles outside of the candidates’ own organizations. Ms. Hofstra represents a broad range of healthcare clients, helping them with day-to-day legal issues, including corporate matters, mergers, transactions and regulatory compliance. She has mentored women healthcare attorneys through the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, an organization she has been active with for over 30 years and is a past president.

Eve I. Klein is now chair of Duane Morris’ Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group. She was also named to Crain’s inaugural list of “Leading Women Lawyers in New York City,” which recognizes women for distinguished careers and exceptional civic and philanthropic activities. Ms. Klein has extensive experience advising clients about their rights and obligations regarding employment laws and regulation, labor relations and collective bargaining issues under the National Labor Relations Act, and litigation.

Sharon L. Caffrey has been named co-chair of Duane Morris' Trial Practice Group, the firm’s largest practice, with more than 325 lawyers. Ms. Caffrey has served as chair of the Products Liability and Toxic Torts division of the Trial Practice Group since 2008. She concentrates her practice in the areas of mass tort, products liability and toxic tort litigation. She is a member of Duane Morris’ Partners Board. In 2012, she was named one ofThe Legal Intelligencer’s Women of the Year.

Caroline M. Austin, a partner in the firm’s Philadelphia office, received the Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award for her hands-on mentoring of associates. The Cheryl Bryson Leadership Award recognizes significant contributions, including professional development, leadership and mentoring, made by a lawyer to women in the legal profession. The award is named in honor of the late Cheryl Blackwell Bryson, a Duane Morris partner in Chicago who died in January 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Ms. Austin concentrates her practice in employment litigation, employment policy development, preventative counseling and training designed to avoid litigation, unionization and employee attrition.

Melissa S. Geller, of the Newark office, has been named one of New Jersey Law Journal’s 2017 “New Leaders of the Bar,” which recognizes attorneys representing the future of the legal profession in New Jersey.

Duane Morris partner Patricia P. Hollenbeck, of the San Diego office, received the 2017 Friend of the Community Award, presented by the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association, for her longtime support of the LGBTQ community. In the past, Ms. Hollenbeck was the recipient of the 2013 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 Duane Morris lawyer who died in January 2012 after a long battle with cancer, and recognizes female attorney leaders at the firm.

Duane Morris partner Nicole K. McLaughlin, of the Philadelphia office, has been named chair of the firm's Trademark, Copyright, Entertainment and Advertising practice. Ms. McLaughlin provides a full range of IP transactional, litigation and strategic counseling services to clients, including global brand management, trademark strategy, structure, protection and enforcement, trademark infringement, unfair competition, dilution and counterfeit litigation, trade dress and copyright counseling, licensing, and social media and Internet issues.

Partner Beatrice O'Donnell, of the firm’s Philadelphia office, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Forum of Executive Women, a membership organization of 450 women of significant influence across the Greater Philadelphia region. Ms. O’Donnell was also named co-director of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Litigation Division for the 2016-2017 year, and previously served as the ABA Woman Advocate co-chair and past co-chair of the ABA Mass Torts Committee. Ms. O’Donnell has also received the inaugural Margery reed Professional Excellence Award from the Duane Morris’ Women’s Initiative. The award recognizes contributions toward creating, modeling and mentoring others regarding issues of work-life management. Ms. O’Donnell co-chairs the American Bar Association’s Woman Advocate Committee and was a former co-chair of the Mass Torts Committee from 2009-2012 and in 2009, she was recognized as Outstanding Subcommittee Chair for her work. She is also a two-term past co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession and serves on the Women’s Initiative Steering Committee.

Duane Morris Partner Rosa Ertze, of the firm’s New York office, has recently been honored by The M&A Advisor with their 2016 Emerging Leader Award. This award is presented to selected individuals who have contributed significantly to their industry and shown remarkable success before the age of 40. Rosa focuses her practice in the area of corporate law and international business transactions, advising domestic, multinational and foreign companies on mergers and acquisitions, private equity restructurings, general corporate matters, cross-border direct foreign investment, joint ventures, financings and securitizations. Aside from domestic companies, Rosa works with businesses in Latin-America. She is also a member of the Cuba Business Group.

Vicki G. Norton, Ph.D. a partner in the San Diego office, has been named the Issues Leader for the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s (AIPLA) Biotechnology Committee. As issues leader, Vicki oversees and reports on the activities of the Biosimilars, Diagnostics and Gene Patenting, Industrial Biotech, Biotech Litigation, PTAB Actions, Plant biotech, and the Technology Transfer and Licensing Subcommittees as they report on timely biotech matters impacting biotechnology intellectual property. Vicki practices in the area of intellectual property law with a focus on biotechnology and chemical patent counseling and litigation. She also serves as co-chair for the Biologic Products and Competition Sub-Committee of AIPLA, as well as chairperson of the California State Bar Committee on Administration of Justice by the State Bar Board of Governors.

Arfat Selvam, managing partner of Duane Morris & Selvam in Singapore, served as lead legal counsel to Heineken in its $4.6 billion takeover of Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd. Her instrumental role in this transaction helped Duane Morris & Selvam garner a trio of M&A Deal of the Year awards: the Global M&A Deal of the Year for Southeast Asia in the 2013 American Lawyer Global Legal Awards, as well as the Southeast Asia M&A Deal of the Year and the Singapore M&A Deal of the Year by Asian Law and Business. Previously, Arfat was shortlisted for “Managing Partner of the Year” award in the ALB Southeast Asia Law Awards 2012.

Kate Shay, corporate partner in the Philadelphia office, has been appointed a member of the board of directors of Pennsylvania Bio, the statewide trade association representing the commonwealth’s life science industry. Previously, Kate was a recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Life Science Award for Best Consultant (Early Stage)” in 2010 and was also named by that publication and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) as a “Woman of Distinction” in 2008. In 2006, Shay was awarded the WIN Iris Newman Award by the Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs for her leadership in the entrepreneurial community and her outstanding support of women business entrepreneurs. In addition to Kate’s recent honors and awards, she serves on the board of directors of Pennsylvania Bio, the Philadelphia Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and Women Inventing Next.

  Duane Morris attorney Karen Kline, of the Boca Raton office, was named to the Lawyers of Color Inaugural Hot List and profiled in the LOC’s Special Issue in July 2013. Karen is the secretary of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida and is a committee member of the International Trademark Association.

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.

Duane Morris attorney Jane Dalton received the prestigious Sandra Day O’Connor Award. She was also honored by Duane Morris in recognition of her leadership and contribution to women in the profession. Ms. Dalton was honored for her distinguished career as well as her continuing efforts to advance women lawyers in the profession through leadership and mentoring. Jane was also selected to receive the Philadelphia Bar Association Business Law Section’s Dennis H. Replansky Memorial Award. Ms. Dalton, who was president of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2007, was chosen for her legal accomplishments, charitable service, and leadership and mentoring skills. She also was quoted in an entry on The Legal Intelligencer’s blog about a panel of former Philadelphia Bar Association chancellors giving advice to women lawyers. In addition to her recent recognitions, she was honored with a Women of Distinction award, given by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). Jane practices in the areas of employment discrimination and personnel management, unfair competition and constitutional litigation. She currently serves as vice-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Insurance Fund and Trust Fund, as well as co-chair of the PBA’s Commission on Women in the Profession and Secretary-Treasurer of the Metropolitan Bar Caucus of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. In addition, Jane has served as Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association and chair of the Association’s Board of Governors and co-chair of its Committee on Women in the Profession

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. Denyse was also 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.” Denyse also received the received the second annual Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award for her pro bono aid to many low-income immigrants throughout her career, including refugees, asylees, citizenship applicants, domestic violence survivors, children and many more

Trial partner Teresa N. 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.

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. Mr. Lipowicz practices in the areas of toxic tort and pharmaceutical defense as well as commercial and class action litigation. A former assistant district attorney in Philadelphia County, specializing in the prosecution of rape cases, and chief counsel to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Criminal Procedural Rules Committee, his clients over a twenty-plus year career as a civil litigator have ranged from Fortune 10 companies to the National Association of Attorneys General.