"Toughness doesn't have to come in a pinstripe suit."
-- Dianne Feinstein, politician
Founded in May 2008, Saul Ewing's Women's Development Initiative (WDI) is comprised of a core group of female attorneys representing a cross-section of the firm's offices and legal practices who are dedicated to promoting the professional growth of the firm's female attorneys. Support from the WDI ranges from advocating for women attorneys to become partners and hold leadership positions in the firm to sponsoring business development seminars and serving as a sounding board for women attorneys to discuss personal and professional issues influencing their careers.
Recognition from the Pennsylvania Bar Association
In 2011, for the second time in three years, Saul Ewing was honored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association by being named to its Honor Roll of Legal Organizations Welcoming Women Professionals. It was also named to the list in 2009. The PBA Commission on Women in the Profession selected the honorees by reviewing programs and initiatives statewide that help women lawyers advance. The Commission cited the establishment and evolution of the WDI as a key factor in its decision to again honor Saul Ewing.
Recent accomplishments
December 20, 2011 – 
Deborah L. Spranger, vice chair of the Business and Finance Department and co-chair of the firm's Life Sciences Practice Group, was elected to the board of directors of the Chester County Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ), a program by the Chester County Economic Development Council. The Chester County KIZ is a powerful initiative that is aligning and rallying the area's best resources to support growing life science, biotechnology and information technology companies. Debbie will serve a one-year term, beginning January 1, 2012.
KIZs are a state-wide initiative of Governor Edward G. Rendell to build knowledge-based economies and cultivate entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania. It is a geographically designated zone that is designed to foster innovation and create entrepreneurial opportunities.
For more information on the Chester County KIZ, please click here.
December 19, 2011 – Katayun I. Jaffari, a partner in the Business and Finance Department and co-chair of the Securities Transactions and Regulations Practice, has been named to SmartCEO Magazine's list of Philadelphia's "Legal Elite" for 2011. She was listed as "go-to" attorneys for business legal advice. Katayun has a diversified practice in the area of business law, including business counseling, securities, corporate governance, capital raising and mergers and acquisitions. She represents public, private and nonprofit organizations in a variety of industries, including biotechnology, telecommunications, energy, retail banking, healthcare and emerging businesses.
December 8, 2011 – Catherine E. Walters and Emily H. Bensinger, partner and associate, respectively, in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Practice Group, teamed up twice this month to present an employment law forecast. On December 1, prior to the Central Penn Business Journal's annual awards program, "Best Places to Work in PA," Catherine and Emily presented the 2011 Employment Law Update and 2012 Forecast. One week later, they presented, "Criminal Background Checks, 2012 Labor and Employment Update and Directors and Officers Liability," to the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel 2011 CLE and Holiday reception in the Pennsylvania State Museum. In November, Catherine presented the annual Labor and Employment Law Update and Forecast at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's 17th Annual Business Lawyers' Institute in Philadelphia.
December 2, 2011 - Clients and friends of Saul Ewing LLP converged on the firm's Princeton, NJ office December 1 for a networking and shopping reception that raised money to support Womanspace, Inc. and Women's Way.
Womanspace, Inc. is a nonprofit agency in Mercer County, NJ that provides services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence. Programs include crisis intervention, emergency shelter, counseling, court advocacy and housing services. Women's Way funds dozens of organizations in Philadelphia and surrounding counties (including Southern New Jersey) that work with women, girls and families.
Against a backdrop of fashionable clothing, attendees shopped and nominated their favorite women's charities to receive one of two monetary awards, 1) a $500 donation and 2) a percentage of the evening's sales.
Womenspace will receive the $500, while Women's Way will receive a percentage of the evening's sales.
"We wanted to host a meaningful event for our female clients and contacts," said Karen Palestini, partner and member of the WDI Steering Committee. "What better way than to offer "one-stop shopping" knowing that a percentage of the sales would go to a charity that helps women and families in our community? We are thrilled with the result and proud to financially assist such deserving organizations."
To view photos from the reception, please click here.
November 16, 2011 – Megan E. King, an associate in the Litigation and Project and Resource Development departments, has been named to the 2011 Pro Bono Roll of Honor, awarded by the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania.
The First Judicial District encompasses all of Philadelphia's judicial system. Recognizing that access to justice should not be reserved for those that can pay, each year the Court names to its Roll of Honor those Philadelphia attorneys that have provided free legal service to those in need of representation in matters pending in the District.
Megan volunteers for the Philadelphia VIP, regularly representing tenants and homeowners in landlord/tenant disputes and tangled title actions.
Founded in 1981, Philadelphia VIP provides legal services for low-income residents and families facing civil legal problems that threaten their basic human needs - shelter, employment, financial stability, education and health.
Congratulations, Megan
October 20, 2011 - Saul Ewing LLP is pleased to announce that it has added two distinguished female partners to its ranks. Both partners are members of the firm's Litigation Department.
Doreen M. Zankowski, resident in the Boston office, is an experienced litigator and transactional/contracts attorney. Doreen focuses her practice on construction, engineering, business, real estate development and environmental law.
Michelle N. Lipkowitz will practice out of the Baltimore office. She represents clients in the financial, retail and telecommunications industries in litigation involving contractual disputes, shareholder disputes, consumer class actions, mortgage fraud, lender liability, construction and products liability in various state and federal courts throughout Maryland and across the country.
October 18, 2011 - Jennifer L. Beidel, an associate in the Litigation Department, has been honored with the 2011 Outstanding Recent Alumni Award by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The award recognizes alumni who graduated in the past decade for their achievements.
Jennifer graduated from Penn State with a degree in animal sciences, summa cum laude, in 2003, and from the Penn State Dickinson School of Law, summa cum laude, in 2006. She concentrates her practice on complex commercial litigation in the federal and state courts and represents clients in the financial services, healthcare, pharmaceutical, foodservice and agriculture industries, among others.
Jennifer is a member of the American Agricultural Law Association and serves on the Agricultural Law Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She also is active in the livestock industry, serving on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Livestock Association and on the Animal Sciences Advisory Board for WB Saul High School in Philadelphia.
September 30, 2011 – Saul Ewing LLP is proud to announce that Indira K. Sharma, an associate in the Litigation Department in the Baltimore, MD office, has been named a "Leading Woman" by Maryland's Daily Record.
The publication's Leading Women distinction identifies 50 women, age 40 or younger, for the accomplishments they have made so far in their career. They are judged on professional experience, community involvement and a commitment to inspiring change.
Indira focuses her practice on commercial litigation with an emphasis on real estate litigation and contract disputes. She serves as vice chair of the firm's Diversity Committee and has been instrumental in organizing several internal diversity retreats, as well as coordinating Saul Ewing's sponsorship of and participation in numerous diversity events throughout the firm's East Coast footprint. She also served on the steering committee that established the firm's Women's Development Initiative.
"On behalf of Saul Ewing, I want to congratulate Indira on receiving this special recognition," said Managing Partner David S. Antzis. "You make us proud."
Indira will be recognized with fellow honorees at the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore on December 1, 2011.
September 27, 2011 - Cathleen M. Devlin, vice chair of the Litigation Department, has been appointed as a co-chair of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation's Corporate Counsel Committee. She will serve a three-year term.
The Corporate Counsel Committee, which has been part of the ABA Section of Litigation for nearly 30 years, is made up of in-house and outside litigation counsel who represent corporations nationwide. The Committee provides a unique forum for open dialogue on emerging issues and best practices in litigation management, billing and budgeting, ethics, alternative dispute resolution, e-discovery and litigation technology, among other areas. Cathleen has been an active member of the Committee serving in various roles since 2004.
In her law practice, Cathleen is a business and environmental litigator with extensive trial experience in the federal and state courts. She also focuses her practice on representing independent examiners in large-scale corporate investigations.
Leadership
Members