Mission Statement

The Babst Calland Women’s Initiative strives to increase the retention and advancement of women attorneys at our Firm and in the broader legal community by promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities.

The Women’s Initiative meets regularly to facilitate open discussions about workplace challenges historically faced by women in professional settings and encourages the exchange of advice and experiences to aid others in navigating those challenges.

The Women’s Initiative further supports the Firm’s women attorneys in developing and promoting their practices by acknowledging and celebrating successes and encouraging mentorship among all of the Firm’s attorneys. A key goal of the Women’s Initiative is to connect women attorneys across the Firm’s practice groups and offices, allowing for organic support systems to develop and prosper. This blending of practice groups and offices encourages collaboration and cross-marketing opportunities that benefit our attorneys and clients. By encouraging these relationships, the Women’s Initiative’s work advances the professional and business development of women attorneys at the Firm and within the legal community at large.

 

Features

The following celebrates the initiatives of the women attorneys at Babst Calland.


Janet Meub Joins Babst Calland

Janet K. Meub recently joined Babst Calland as senior counsel in the Litigation and Employment and Labor groups. Ms. Meub has significant experience in the areas of employment and labor law, professional liability defense, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, toxic tort litigation, nursing home negligence, and medical malpractice defense. She has a diversified practice that includes defending employers, healthcare providers, law enforcement and other professionals, and non-profits, at all levels of civil litigation through trial.

Women’s Initiative Partners with D/E/I Committee to Host Joint D/E/I CLE Series

Last week, the Babst Calland Women’s Initiative and the Firm’s D/E/I Committee kicked off a joint CLE series covering diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.  The series will feature multiple sessions throughout 2022 and 2023, starting with the first session on June 29, 2022 titled D/E/I Basics: What is DEI and why does it matter?  The first presentation and discussion was led by Kellie Ware, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, for the Allegheny County Bar Association, and future sessions in the series will build upon this foundation to address a variety of D/E/I topics and issues relevant to the legal industry.

Melissa Rounds Joins Babst Calland

Melissa M. Rounds recently joined Babst Calland as senior counsel in the Energy and Natural Resources Group. Mrs. Rounds has represented clients in the oil and gas industry for more than 15 years and has assisted producers in a variety of transactional matters, including real estate closings, preparation of documents for leasing purposes and examining and certifying title. Her work includes resolving complex title defects, coordinating urgent title projects, working in-house with major energy producers to provide comprehensive lease analysis and assistance with mineral purchases, and providing legal analysis for changes in statutory and case law.

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Amanda Brosy Joins Babst Calland

Amanda L. Brosy recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Environmental Group. Her practice involves client counseling on compliance with federal and state environmental laws and regulations, resolving liabilities under federal and state remediation programs, and advising clients on significant environmental liability and compliance issues arising in various types of transactions. Ms. Brosy also assists with administrative appeals and environmental litigation in state and federal courts.

Christina Manfredi McKinley Selected to 2022 Super Lawyers Rising Stars in Pittsburgh, PA

Babst Calland Attorney Christina Manfredi McKinley, selected to Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, 2022 Rising Stars for Business Litigation. Only a few attorneys from each state are selected to Super Lawyers designation for any given year. The multi-factor selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and evaluations, as well as professional achievement in legal practice.

Gina Falaschi Selected to 2022 Super Lawyers Rising Stars in Washington, DC

Attorney Gina Falaschi has been selected to Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, Rising Stars for 2022. She provides legal services for issues involving Environmental law in Washington, DC.

Only a few attorneys from each state are selected to Super Lawyers designation for any given year. The multi-factor selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and evaluations, as well as professional achievement in legal practice.

Keystone Space Collaborative Launches Inaugural Conference April 20-21

Attorney Justine Kasznica who is also the Board Chair of the Keystone Space Collaborative leads the 2022 Keystone Space Collaborative Inaugural Conference April 20-21 at the Carnegie Science Center. Speakers include:

  • Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) who chairs the House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) subcommittee that funds NASA
  • Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) who is a member of the Senate Appropriations CJS subcommittee
  • Rep.

Women’s Initiative Hosts Lunch & Learn Panel

Babst Calland Women’s Initiative held its spring Lunch & Learn Panel, featuring four of the Firm’s shareholders—Lisa Bruderly, Kathy Condo, Jean Mosites, and Marnie Schock. The firm’s newest shareholder, Christina Manfredi McKinley, moderated the discussion, asking the panel to speak on issues relevant to women in the profession.

The Women’s Initiative’s Plans for 2022

As the Firm returns from remote operations across our offices, Babst Calland’s Women’s Initiative has taken the opportunity to refresh its committee objectives and to focus on opportunities to allow its women attorneys to reconnect with their colleagues. The Initiative was formed by former Babst shareholder Molly Meacham and the Initiative’s current chair, Carla Castello, and continues to grow in membership as the Firm expands.

CLE: Class Action Lawsuits – The Basics

Attorneys Kathy Condo and Carla Castello will present a CLE program on “Class Action Lawsuits – The Basics” on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Class action litigation arises in various contexts, including environmental contamination, consumer protection, antitrust, product liability, pharmaceutical drugs, civil rights, data breaches, and workers’ rights. Given the liability exposure in class action cases, obtaining (or defeating) class certification is viewed as a critical milestone.

Babst Calland Joins ACBA Inaugural ALLY Initiative Cohort

Babst Calland, through its Women’s Initiative, is pleased to announce the Firm’s participation in the Allegheny County Bar Association’s ALLY Initiative Cohort. ALLY stands for “Attorneys, Learning as allies, Living as allies, and Yielding results.” The Initiative is designed to engage attorneys and their law firms, corporate legal departments, courts and other organizations to commit to increasing inclusivity, creating equitable workplaces and empowering historically marginalized and underrepresented community members.

The Initiative, which will run from March 15 through October 2022, will offer programing and other projects, which will then allow firms and legal departments to earn an official “ACBA ALLY Certification.”

To read more, click here.

Holmes and Hutter Join Babst Calland’s Corporate and Commercial Group as Associates

Ember K. Holmes and Audra E. Hutter recently joined Babst Calland as associates in the Corporate and Commercial Group.

Ember Holmes focuses primarily on corporate and transactional matters, including commercial contracts, corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and copyright and trademark issues. Prior to joining Babst Calland, she was an associate with Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C. Ms. Holmes is a 2018 graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Law.

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Christina Manfredi McKinley Joins Babst Calland as Shareholder

Christina Manfredi McKinley recently joined Babst Calland as a shareholder in the Litigation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Environmental groups.

Ms. McKinley provides business-oriented solutions to her clients and routinely serves as a general advisor, counseling clients on day-to-day legal and business matters on any number of issues. Her business-focused, proactive approach to problem-solving allows her to provide solutions to clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, retail, energy, chemicals, and environmental.

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Babst Calland Names Katrina Bowers a Shareholder

Law firm Babst Calland recently named Katrina N. Bowers a shareholder in the Firm.

Katrina Bowers is a member of the Corporate and Commercial, Litigation, and Energy and Natural Resources groups. Ms. Bowers currently serves as General Counsel to the West Virginia International Yeager Airport, and as general counsel and advisor to airports in West Virginia, on day-to-day legal and business matters, such as compliance with West Virginia and federal law, employment and litigation matters, corporate governance, and contract negotiations.

Babst Calland Names Binker and Malik Shareholders

Babst Calland recently named Mary H. Binker and Jennifer L. Malik shareholders in the Firm.

Mary Binker is a member of the Corporate and Commercial, Energy and Natural Resources, and Real Estate groups. Her practice focuses primarily on corporate and transactional matters, including negotiation of commercial contracts and real estate transactions. Ms. Binker advises businesses of various sizes and complexity, in a broad range of industries including chemical, energy and real estate development, in their corporate contracting needs.

News
SAY “YES”: Reinventing Yourself in the Legal Profession
The Legal Intelligencer (by Janet Meub) Clients come and go. There is no guarantee that...
News
Babst Calland Partners with PLDIC for “Ask Us Anything” Panel Discussion
Babst Calland partnered with the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition (PLDIC) to sponsor and...
Events
Film Screening and Panel Discussion in Celebration of International Women’s Day
On March 8, in celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Babst Calland’s...
Women's Initiative
Women’s Initiative 2024 Mentoring Circle Kickoff Meeting
The Babst Calland Women’s Initiative is celebrating the fourth consecutive year of one of the...
Women's Initiative
Babst Calland Names Buchman and Castello Shareholder
Babst Calland recently named Gina Falaschi Buchman and Carla M. Castello shareholders in the Firm....
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