This year's "Smooth Moves: Career Strategies for Attorneys of Color" CLE panel discussion will address: 'The Color of Neutrality:  Increasing Diversity in Alternative Dispute Resolution'.  Lauren Wachtler, Chair of our Litigation Department, and Board Member of the NYSBA Foundation and a Former Chair of the NYSBA Commercial & Federal Litigation Section, will present a scholarship to a 1-L student to intern for the summer with a Commercial Division judge. 

The Section will confer The Honorable George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award jointly on The Hon. Preet Bharara and The Hon. Joon Kim. | Details and Registration

New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)
Commercial & Federal Litigation Section Spring Meeting 2019
"Working with Men to Advance Women in the Profession"
10:40 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.
(1.5 CLE credits in Diverity, Inclusion and the Elimination of Bias) 

Phillips Nizer is pleased to host Paul Stuart, Inc., the American fashion brand, on Tuesday, April 16th at the firm's New York City office for a lunch presentation and trunk show.  

Lunch Presentation:  12:30 PM
Trunk Show:  9:00 AM - 7:00 PM*

RSVPs required for the lunch and/or to schedule a *personal fitting by April 15th to: events@phillipsnizer.com  

Paul Stuart offers fashions for men and women, and they will be showcasing customLAB, the latest innovation in made to measure suiting for men, and their Spring 2019 women's collection. 

This program will showcase methods of creating compelling opening and closing statements and direct and cross-examinations of witnesses through a re-enactment of an actual commercial trial.

The full-day Women in Law & Leadership Summit will explore career obstacles, risks and rewards on the path to fulfilling and productive careers for women lawyers. The conference will provide networking and learning opportunities on topics including mentorship, gender equity and career management. 

Roundtables are informal interactive discussions over a two-hour period, which will provide excellent opportunities to exchange professional insights with peer-level experts.  

Law Firms/Vendors register here.
In-House Counsel register here.

Ms. Wachtler's panel, "Preparing for Mediation and Selecting the Mediator" will be the lead session of the day. | Full details and registration

Phillips Nizer LLP has added Lauren J. Wachtler, a prominent commercial litigator and former Chair of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association, as partner. She joins from Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp.

Seventeen Phillips Nizer attorneys were announced on September 13, 2018 as selected for inclusion on the 2018 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Attorneys represented a cross-section of several practice areas and industry teams.

Best Lawyers® recognized Alan Behr, Helene M. Freeman, Michael W. Galligan, Donald P. Perry, Evan J. Spelfogel, Lauren J. Wachtler, Martin B. Wasser and Elliot J. Wiener.

On Wednesday, May 16, 2018, the New York State Bar Association's Commercial and Federal Litigation Section will conduct "Openings and Closings," a program within their webinar series.

The event will feature the program,* "Strengthening the Rule of Law By Fighting Discrimination."   At the conclusion, The Honorable George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award will be presented to The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr., 82nd Attorney General of the United States.

For full details regarding the event, see here. | Registration required. This NYSBA event is complimentary. Space is limited.

*1.5 MCLE Credits: 1.5 Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias Credits

The full day Continuing Legal Education (CLE) event will be held in Dallas, Texas, and will feature leading women in the legal industry. Lauren's presentation, "If Not Now, When?: Achieving Gender Equality In the courtroom and ADR” -- How a Task Force Championed and Changed the Role of Women in the Legal Profession" will be begin at 1:00 p.m. | View the Forum's agenda here.  

Lauren, who joined the firm in January 2018, is a co-author of the report, “If Not Now, When? Achieving Equality for Women Attorneys in the Courtroom and in ADR,” adopted by the New York State Bar Associaiton’s House of Delegates in November 2017.

Excerpt:

"Wachtler’s reputation in the women’s rights arena is helping the firm hire female associates who want to learn from her, Landis said. “She’s the new exciting thing that we talk to prospective associates about,” he [Landis] said...In addition to hiring Wachtler, the firm elevated two female attorneys to partner and named a female co-chair for its real estate practice. It also added Asian-American and African-American partners. And of five associates who joined in 2017, four are female, one is African-American and one is Asian-American...In assembling a diverse workforce, Landis said it’s important to take a broad view. So look to hire and promote younger partners, lesbian and gay partners, and partners with different political views..."

"I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. We happily bring in talented men and people who are not of color as well,” he said. ”I want to emphasize that while we have promoted many people into leadership roles and leadership opportunities, we haven’t discarded our senior people.”