(IAALS) Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System’s Post

Best Lawyers recognized 271 of our US lawyers in its 2025 edition, with 202 individuals named to The Best Lawyers in America and 69 in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. https://ow.ly/ZRXH50SYET5

Congratulations to associate Leigha Beckman, who was honored with the California Lawyers Association’s 2024 Antitrust and Unfair Competition Lawyers to Watch Award. Received by five total honorees this year, the award recognizes California lawyers in the first eight years of their legal careers who have exhibited outstanding achievements in the practice of antitrust and unfair competition during the previous year. Learn more about Leigha: https://bit.ly/4fJrnZh

Having learned last week that around 10,000 documents were not disclosed by legal departments that had a legal professional duty to do so in the Post Office scandal, it seems all the more poignant to have listened to some lesser-known insights that were eloquently shared by Kathleen Donnelly KC, who was part of the claimants’ legal team in civil action against the Post Office, yesterday at the Eagles GC Symposium. The galling fact remains that the legal departments of both Fujitsu and the Post Office, including external legal advisors, have yet to be held to account; nevermind, addressing a clear indication of the endemic and pernicious corporate culture that fostered such an avoidable scandal to occur. Her talk makes clear that scapegoating the few names we now know mainly from Netflix (let’s face it as the case was decided December 2019) hardly scratch the surface of those responsible. Lawyers are held to a higher ethical standard for good reason as gatekeepers of the rule of law and administration of justice. It is clear there is more to be done in making sure in-house counsel and external legal advisors who assist and indeed perpetrate corporate misdeeds and abuse of the legal system are held to account. Where are the lawyers who prosecuted so many of these sub-postmasters based on flimsy or nonexistent evidence and instructed/used intimidation tactics to obtain pleas? Why wasn’t the sudden increase in actions against sub-postmasters noticed as suspect? (Or was it?) Where are the lawyers now that prepared those bundles to instruct counsel in those matters? Have any been challenged or faced consequences? Not only lessons need to be learned here but further professional and legal reprimand is needed for justice in this matter to be properly metered. We need to do better and clearly Lesley Wan and all those involved with pulling off a fabulous senior in-house counsel Eagle event are doing to their part to help achieve that change. Thank you! #theeagleclub #generalcounsel #inhouse #knowledgesharing #inspirationalleadership #legaleagles #ruleoflaw #postofficescandal #justice

It's time to cast a spotlight on the legal pathbreakers of tomorrow. If you're reimagining the legal landscape or know someone who is, nominate them for the Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award. https://lnkd.in/guskqER

Some unsolicited advice for the young attorneys out there: Find a mentor. Preferably one like Carl Lanfear. Someone whose ability you respect, whose personality meshes with yours, and who is willing to take the time to help you grow. You'll have a lot of questions. A good mentor will answer all of them. Once. (As long as your question could not have been answered with a google search or a glance at the court rules). Mistakes will be made along the way. A good mentor will help you fix them. (As long as you bring possible solutions to the table.) *Side note. If a mistake is made, address it immediately and head-on. Bad news never ages well with partners or clients. As you gain more experience, offers will come from recruiters or other law firms. A good mentor will be your reason to stay put. I was lucky enough to start working with Carl Lanfear 15 years ago. He's not only one of the "Best Lawyers" in America. He has been one of the best mentors. Carl doesn't have a personal Linkedin (yet), so nobody show him this. He'd probably hate it.

🏆 Wrapping up this week's focus on clients' words about our Chambers USA 2024-ranked litigators. ✨🌟 Five words clients use to describe Etan Mark : #super #smart #articulate #committed #genuine "I am continually impressed by Etan. He is a superb lawyer who does a great job while carefully managing my interests and costs." (Chambers USA) Etan, the third of our fearless leaders highlighted this week, has been ranked by Chambers for 9 years now! His work is intricate and strategic. With a penchant for complex commercial disputes with a strange attraction to RICO and litigating against (or in some particularly compelling cases on behalf of) local government, Etan prefers matters that require him to use his brain as much as possible. #LawRealigned #Awards #Recognition #ExceptionalWork #ChambersUSARanked #ComplexCommercialLitigation #MultiDistrictLitigation #ClassActions #Government #Municipality #RealEstate #RICO .

As lawyers, we are zealous advocates for our clients. But it is also important that we maintain clear vision and objectivity about our cases, and not get swept up in our clients’ emotions. That can be hard under the best of circumstances, but when tempers run hot in contentious litigation, it’s even more challenging. Which is when it can be helpful to get a friendly reminder from the Court about our role as lawyers, particularly in Delaware where the Court holds Delaware lawyers to a high standard. This recent nudge from Chancellor McCormick is an excellent example of how judges can remind lawyers of the Delaware Way, and the importance of trying to guide their co-counsel when tensions run high. She conveys her message firmly but without being unduly harsh, and displays the type of collaborative approach she implores counsel to take. Just one illustration of the type of leadership and empathy we’ve come to appreciate and rely upon from our outstanding judiciary.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦 Get to know MDFAWL Member Sarah Clasby Engel, who is a mediator and arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. She loves the complexity, moving parts and creative solutions she finds in order to settle class actions as a mediator. Her advice for women in the legal profession? “Learn from others, but always strive to be authentically yourself.” See what else Sarah has to say at mdfawl.org/blog

Cozen O'Connor is proud to announce that Chambers and Partners USA has ranked 96 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in its 2024 edition, with 19 recognized nationally, and 22 ranked Band 1. Moreover, 27 of the firm's practice areas have been ranked, with 13 recognized nationally and eight achieving a Band 1 ranking. Congratulations, team! Find out which lawyers and practice groups were ranked via the link in the comments. #chambers #cozenoconnor #amlaw100 #legalnews

We’re excited to share that 25 Tucker Ellis attorneys and 10 practice areas have been ranked in the 2024 Chambers and Partners USA Guide! Take a look at the video below to see our firm’s full 2024 rankings—and view the press release at the link in the comments to learn more. #TuckerEllis #Chambers #legalexcellence