Dimensions a Diversity Newsletter

Dimensions A Diversity Newsletter

SPRING 09 Letter from the Diversity Committee In this issue: Welcome to the second issue of Dimensions. On behalf of the Diversity Steering Committee, I hope this newsletter will keep you connected to the many diversity initiatives, Letter from the Diversity events and programs at Proskauer. Committee ...... 1 In this issue, we bring you career insights shared by Boston partner Jamiel Poindexter Proskauer Revitalizes its and New York associate Cynara Hermes; detail our Hispanic Heritage Month events; Commitment to Work/Life explore a new learning series initiated by the Black Lawyers Affinity Group; introduce our Balance ...... 2 new Flex-Time Liaison, New York partner Brendan O’Rourke; and provide updates on diversity happenings and events that took place at Proskauer in the fall and winter. Proskauer’s Commitment to the LGBT Community Recognized...... 2 We also are proud to introduce a new regular feature of Dimensions called Staff Spotlight. In this issue we feature Linda Cash, a legal secretary in our Washington, D.C. office, who is a Hispanic Heritage Month great example of the many talented staff and other professionals who not only add value Celebrated at Proskauer ...... 3 at work, but also in their communities.

Partner Perspective: Join us as we look ahead to new initiatives and programs and a continued focus on Q&A with Jamiel Poindexter. . . 4 diversity at Proskauer.

Associate Life: Q&A with Cynara Hermes . . . . 5

Staff Spotlight: Linda Cash ...... 6

Diversity Happenings and Allen I. Fagin Community Outreach ...... 6 Chairman of the Firm Proskauer Revitalizes its Commitment to Work/Life Balance

Flex-Time Liaison Role Created New York partner Brendan O’Rourke was recently named the Firm’s first Flex-Time Liaison. In this new role, Brendan, in partnership with the Flex-Time Affinity Group and Brendan J. O’Rourke Professional Resources Department, will help coordinate and oversee the Flex-Time Partner Program to ensure that we are able to provide lawyers participating in the Flex-Time New York [email protected] Program the opportunity to strike the right balance by working reduced hours while still undertaking high-level assignments and staying on a rewarding career path. Brendan will serve as a valuable resource for lawyers currently on Flex-Time schedules and those who are interested in participating in the program.

“As the partner in charge of Proskauer’s Flex-Time program, my job is not simply to oversee the lawyers in the group. Rather, my role is to ensure that all lawyers in the program are treated fairly and as equals with our full-time lawyers.”

The creation of this role is another example of Proskauer’s commitment to making work/life balance a reality, along with its sponsorship of an affinity group dedicated solely to lawyers on a Flex-Time schedule. The Firm is also a corporate member of Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm advising law firms, corporations and lawyers on work/life balance and the retention and promotion of women lawyers.

Proskauer’s Commitment to the LGBT Community Recognized

Firm scores 100% on Corporate Equality Index Proskauer was recently named one of the country’s “Best Places to Work” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.

The “Best Places to Work” designation is given to companies that receive a perfect score of 100 in the Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, which measures policies and practices implemented to promote fairness and equality for LGBT employees in the workplace. This achievement is the direct result of our ongoing commitment to diversity throughout the Firm.

Proskauer is proud of this recognition and is committed to continuing its support of the LGBT community through pro bono projects including the same-sex marriage advocacy in New York and Los Angeles, transgender rights representation, a 13-year pro bono program at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Center and an 18-year long representation of the Keith Haring estate and the Haring Foundation. Click here for an overview of the Firm’s work with the LGBT community.

2 PROSKAUER ROSE LLP Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrated at Proskauer

Series of Events Marks the National Observance

Proskauer celebrated the achievements, traditions and culture of the Hispanic community Proskauer Rose Celebrates through its Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Led by the Proskauer Hispanic/Latino Hispanic Lawyers Affinity Group, the month-long observance included a variety of events and Heritage programs. Month Join us for a month of events, food, community service and more Proskauer hosted “Cafecito,” a regular meeting of Latina lawyers in New York. This as we celebrate the achievements, culture and diversity of the particular meeting featured a presentation by inMotion, an organization that provides free Hispanic/Latino community. legal and social services to low-income women in New York with a focus on women who are survivors of domestic violence. September 15 through October 15 Sponsored by the Hispanic/Latino Lawyers Affinity Group Members of the Hispanic/Latino Lawyers Affinity Group also participated in a day-long training session for the Family Court Project. This initiative was founded in 2006

The Firm hosted a speaker event featuring Paul Quintero, CFO of ACCIÓN NY, a not-for- Proskauer Rose Hispanic Heritage profit organization that contributes to the economic development of the New York Month Poster metropolitan region by providing loans and advisory services to individuals and small businesses that do not have access to traditional sources of credit. Paul spoke to lawyer and staff attendees about the role of micro-financing in the success of businesses owned by women and people of color and one of ACCIÓN’s clients shared how micro-lending allowed her independent record label to pursue new methods of artist development and promotion. Several Proskauer offices joined this presentation via videoconference.

A team of Proskauer lawyers and staff also participated in New York Cares Day, a city-wide community service project aimed at improving neighborhood schools. The Proskauer team, working with members of the faculty at P.S. 20 in Manhattan and volunteers from other groups, organized hundreds of books into a new library center for P.S. 20, saving the school tens of thousands of dollars and providing the teachers and students at the school with an important educational resource. New York Cares Day is an annual event organized and administered by New York Cares and brings together thousands of volunteers to help revitalize schools throughout New York City and raise funds to help support New York Cares’ year-round volunteering activities. Sheldon Hirshon, a partner in Library of P.S. 20 in Manhattan the Corporate department at Proskauer, was a founding member and served as President of the Board of New York Cares. He is now an Honorary Board Member of the organization.

DIMENSIONS: A Diversity Newsletter 3 Partner Perspective

Q&A with Jamiel Poindexter Jamiel Poindexter is a partner in the Tax Department and is resident in the Boston office of Proskauer Rose.

Q: What factors led you to want to become a partner at a major law firm? Jamiel E. Poindexter Partner A: It actually wasn’t part of a well thought out plan. I found work that I like with people Boston that I like and respect. After you work with a group for a while, you develop a sense [email protected] of responsibility for the success of the group. I guess that sense of responsibility was the most influential factor.

Q: What is the biggest hurdle you’ve had to face in your career? A: The Firm where I began practicing hit hard times, and eventually dissolved after a series of departures and layoffs. I guess the biggest hurdle was starting over at Proskauer. I was lucky that Proskauer is very well run and was able to facilitate a successful transition, and that Proskauer’s talented lawyers and its reputation has made it a fantastic platform to develop a practice.

“Take every Q: Is there something you would like to accomplish in your legal career that you opportunity to haven’t yet? A: When I went to law school my goals were very community focused. Since law school, learn from I have spent most of my time focusing on the private equity world. Maybe it is not a career goal at this point, but in some way—in some aspect of my life—I would like the people to turn back to my original goals. around you.” Q: What is one thing you know now that you wish you had known early in your career? A: Take every opportunity to learn from the people around you. When I first started, I felt like I was expected to know a lot, and I think I did a lot of pretending. I eventually realized that every time I pretended that I knew what I was doing I missed an opportunity to learn from someone who actually knew what they were doing.

Q: What professional strategies did you find successful in getting through prior economic downturns? A: Even when work is slow, there are ways to contribute to the success of the Firm and make yourself valuable. For example, model documents and memos might need updating, you may be able to organize and present training seminars that you think will be helpful, or you might have ideas for rejuvenating business within your practice area or others. Spend some time thinking about what might be helpful to the Firm or to your particular group. Also, be aware of the importance of relationships to your success and the success of the Firm. I think that these suggestions are always applicable, but may become particularly important during an economic downturn.

4 PROSKAUER ROSE LLP Associate Life

Q&A with Cynara Hermes

Cynara Hermes is a 6th year associate in the Litigation Department and is resident in Proskauer’s New York office.

Q: What is a typical day for you as an associate in the Litigation Department? Cynara Hermes A: As cliché as it sounds, there truly is no “typical day” in the life of an associate. I find Associate it to be the most difficult question to answer when asked by a recruiting candidate. New York My “typical day” generally depends upon the cases I am working on. I have been [email protected] fortunate to work on a wide range of matters from general contractual disputes to White Collar Criminal Defense. I have participated in various pro bono projects as well, including the Rockefeller Re-Sentencing Program which gave me the opportunity to argue an appeal before the First Department.

At the moment, I am working on a matter involving allegations of breach of contract. The added twist—we need to be trial ready in six months. As you can imagine, this “I chose Proskauer makes for a very hectic day. When I come into the office, I like to take 15-20 minutes to read emails, to review my notes from the previous day, and to outline all of the because of the tasks that need to be completed by the end of the day/week. I am constantly having to people and the re-assess priorities and juggle various tasks at once. As a mid-level, you routinely have to supervise and delegate tasks to junior associates. I find it important to help them Firm’s dedication to develop a sense of ownership over the projects I assign them and request their input as much as possible. I often develop a mentoring relationship with the associates I pro bono.” work with.

Q: Why did you choose a career in a large law firm? A: My parents always taught me to strive for the best. I came to a large law firm because I felt that it would be the best place to develop my legal skills. You have the opportunity to be exposed to such a wide variety of matters that you can truly say you do a little bit of everything. Larger firms also have more resources to dedicate to associate development and can really invest in networking, training, and other programs.

I chose Proskauer because of the people and the Firm’s dedication to pro bono.

Q: Tell us about your recent externship with the Brooklyn DA. A: My experience was nothing short of amazing. Great opportunity to gain trial experience from day one. I was given a case load of approximately 20 cases, mostly felonies, but a few misdemeanors as well. Cases ranged from DUIs to drug possession to gun possession. Within a few weeks I was on trial. Throughout my time there I engaged in four suppression hearings, which are like mini-trials. You put on witnesses and present the evidence. I ended my time there with a bench trial where I was lead prosecutor in a gun possession case. Overall, it was a very rewarding experience. Everyone there was very supportive. They made themselves available to assist me in any way they could and showed me the ropes. And now I am finding I can apply my newly sharpened skills to my work here at Proskauer, even though the substance of the work is very different. I strongly encourage interested associates to apply when the opportunity arises.

DIMENSIONS: A Diversity Newsletter 5 Q: How has mentoring played a role in your career? A: Mentoring has played a huge role in my personal and professional development. I have had quite a few mentors along the way and without them I honestly do not think I would be where I am today. It is easy to get lost in the shuffle. What associates do not realize is that you do not need to have a formal mentor to be successful. I have been fortunate to have a great “formal” mentor who has been an invaluable resource. (Thanks Steve!) However, many of my mentors became my mentors informally. One major life lesson I learned is that you cannot wait for things to happen to you. You have to go out and get it. If you are not getting the kind of work that you want, then ask for it. Speak to a partner in that practice group. If you do not feel comfortable with that, then speak with the assigning person in your department. Your career is in your hands. (Sounds like a commercial, but it’s true!)

Staff Spotlight

In each issue of Dimensions, we feature a Proskauer staff member who has demonstrated not only a commitment to the firm, but also a commitment to the community. Staff Spotlight is our opportunity to showcase some of the important work our employees are doing outside of the office. In this issue, we feature Linda W. Cash, a legal secretary in Proskauer’s Washington, D.C. office. Linda W. Cash Legal Secretary “I joined Proskauer in 1986 and have had the opportunity to work with a great group of Washington, D.C. lawyers and staff. My experiences at the Firm have helped me to grow and develop in many [email protected] ways.

In addition to my worklife, I enjoy volunteering my time to various organizations throughout the year. Members of our Proskauer “team” volunteer their time as well. One particular organization that we support each year is Project Shelter. We’ve visited various shelters in our community, and provided food and clothing to men and women as well as children and their families. We also support programs in the community that provide training and services to various groups. Whenever the need arises, I’m willing to do what I can to help others.”

If you would like to nominate someone to be featured in a future Staff Spotlight, please email the name of the staff member and why you are nominating him or her to Louie Rodriguez at [email protected].

Diversity Happenings and Community Outreach

Daryn Grossman Recognized for Professional and Civic Leadership Daryn Grossman, a partner in the Corporate Department, and co-head of the Technology, Media and Communications and Life Sciences practice groups was recently named to the Daryn A. Grossman YWCA of New York City’s Academy of Women Leaders. Her induction into the AWL, a Partner network of more than 3,000 women professionals noted for their professional achievement, New York [email protected] civic commitment and demonstrated leadership, occurred at the YWCA-NYC Salute to Women Leaders Lunch.

6 PROSKAUER ROSE LLP Bella Abzug Leadership Institute Proskauer was proud to be the first law firm sponsor of Bali’s First Annual Bella and Bella Fella Awards. Through its various programs, BALI helps young women develop the confidence and skills necessary to become effective and visionary leaders as well as active and creative participants in civic, political, corporate and community life.

Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) Film Festival Screening At the closing night of the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival, members of the Asian Lawyers Affinity Group met for a viewing of “Little Zizou”, a film presented by Mira Nair, director of “The Namesake.” The screening of the humorous and satirical film took place at the Museum of Arts and Design in Manhattan.

Lunch and Learn Series The Black Lawyers Affinity Group spearheaded a new program called the “Lunch and Learn” series, designed to provide supplementary training and guidance to group members. The series has now expanded to include other affinity groups, and past sessions have covered topics such as “How to be a Successful Associate,” “How to be a Good Mentee,” and “How to Get the Projects You Want.” Senior associates, senior counsel and partners facilitate these sessions, creating a“group mentoring” environment in the process.

2nd Annual Speed Networking Event The Women Lawyers Affinity Group held their 2nd Annual Speed Networking event at Tonic in Times Square this fall. The program was attended by women lawyers of all levels and from all departments, as well as from the Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark and New York offices.

The structure of the event allowed for lawyers from different practice areas to pair up for 10-minute intervals, getting acquainted and sharing inside perspectives on their work. Feedback from the event was positive and organizers plan to hold this networking event again next year.

Women’s Law Forum Benefits Bottomless Closet Proskauer’s Executive Women’s Network hosted its 3rd annual Women’s Law Forum at The Plaza Hotel with more than 170 guests in attendance. This networking and educational event featured Continuing Legal Education workshops in a variety of substantive practice areas and a special luncheon keynote presentation by Soledad O’Brien of CNN.

The CLE workshops were followed by a shopping experience and cocktail reception at Bergdorf Goodman with a style presentation by Joe Lupo and Jesse Garza, authors of Nothing to Wear? A 5-Step Cure for the Common Closet. Soledad O’Brien CNN Special Correspondent Participants’ donations and Proskauer’s 100% matching donation, supported Bottomless Closet, a not-for-profit organization which aids women in transition by providing free business attire, career skills and image coaching, empowering them to interview with confidence, gain employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency. To help Bottomless Closet carry out this mission, participants were also encouraged to donate gently used business suits. All donations were presented to Bottomless Closet during lunch. Lupo and Garza also made a generous donation to the cause.

DIMENSIONS: A Diversity Newsletter 7 New Orleans Office Sponsors Networking Event Proskauer, in collaboration with the Louisiana State Bar Association, sponsored an event entitled “Networking 101: Meeting and Greeting Your Future” for members of the Tulane and Loyola Black Law Students Associations. The event was held in the courtroom of Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle and featured presentations by New Orleans senior counsel Charles Seeman and several judges. Over 150 attendees helped make the event a success.”

Boca Raton Office Sponsors Mentoring Picnic Proskauer served as Silver Sponsor to the 5th Annual Minority Mentoring Picnic, an event geared to all law students of color from all Florida law schools. The event featured games, food, music and an opportunity to create mentoring relationships with local law students.

Proskauer Honored as “MALDEF Partner Firm” Anthony Pacheco, a partner in our LA office spoke at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s 34th Annual National Los Angeles Awards Gala at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. At this event, Proskauer was honored as one of two MALDEF Partner Firms.

Partner Speaks at LA County Bar Association Los Angeles partner and office head Bert Deixler spoke on a panel sponsored by the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles entitled “Law Firm Leader’s Summit: Practical Ways to Retain and Promote Women Lawyers.” The event, featuring a distinguished panel, focused almost exclusively on solutions, discussions with peers and practical advice related to the status of women lawyers in law firms.

Our commitment to Diversity is essential to our commitment to excellence.

For more information about Proskauer’s diversity efforts, please contact: Louie Rodriguez, Director of Diversity and Inclusion 212.969.5063—[email protected]

This publication is a service to our clients and friends. It is designed only to give general information on the developments actually covered. It is not intended to be a comprehensive summary of recent developments in the law, treat exhaustively the subjects covered, provide legal advice or render a legal opinion.

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