MOSAIC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Carlton Fields
INSIDE 2 Overview 4 Leading by Example 10 Consultancies 12 Diversity Awards and Recognitions 14 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity 15 Furthering Diversity in Our Communities
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Embracing Diversity Pro Bono Work Furthering Diversity Pipeline Initiatives Celebrating Inclusion New Diverse Attorneys
OVERVIEW Appreciation of diversity is one of Carlton Fields’ core values and an integral part of the firm’s strategic plan. We promote and embrace diversity in all things, encouraging our attorneys and managers to prioritize the inclusion of diverse individuals in everything we do. This philosophy extends to recruiting, hiring, leadership appointments, case assignments, committee responsibilities, and the development of successors for leadership positions and client relationships. We believe that persons with diverse backgrounds enrich our work environment, add value to the legal services we provide, and enhance the overall culture of the firm. When it comes to diversity, Carlton Fields has been a pioneer in many ways. Our firm founders recognized that a climate of diversity promotes more thoughtful communication, more purposeful collaboration, more varied perspectives, and more creative solutions as we address our clients’ problems and help identify opportunities.
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Long before our clients expected it, and before diversity gained currency in the legal marketplace, we actively recruited, hired, and promoted people with different ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds, religious beliefs, orientations, and perspectives. Carlton Fields embraced the changing needs of its workforce, leading the way in offering alternative work schedules as far back as the 1960s and extending domestic partner benefits in 1999. The firm’s commitment to advancing attorneys with diverse backgrounds has resulted in numerous female and minority attorneys serving in key leadership roles across the firm. Female and diverse attorneys have served as chair of our board of directors. Our chief executive officer and chief diversity officer, who are themselves diverse attorneys, work directly with team leaders to encourage diversification within team structures, including staffing client teams and key matters with diverse teams. For more information about our diversity initiatives, contact Chief Diversity Officer Nancy Faggianelli at 813.229.4321 or nfaggianelli@carltonfields.com.
360°
A 360-degree review process through which our attorneys and government consultants rank their practice group leaders on factors that include how well they promote diversity — their effectiveness weighs into their compensation. A review of the top 50 clients by revenue every six months to evaluate diversity of the client teams. Networking, informal mentoring, and professional development opportunities through the firm’s LGBTQ+, Minority, and Women’s Business Resource Groups, which work to spur opportunities for these groups within the firm, the legal profession, and the community.
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LEADING BY EXAMPLE Hartford Shareholder Robert Simpson was named to Lawyers of Color’s 2019 “Nation’s Best” list in recognition of his leadership and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. He was recently a panel moderator at the 94th Annual Convention for the National Bar Association, the oldest and largest national network of predominantly African American attorneys and judges, for which he serves on the executive committee and previously served as chair of the Commercial Law Section. Rob is a long-standing member of the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association and the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association, which honored him with its highest award, the Trailblazer Award. In August 2019, Rob was appointed to serve as a Leadership Development Coordinator for the ABA Section of ROBERT Litigation. Rob is the co-chair of the SIMPSON firm’s Mass Tort and Product Liability Shareholder Practice. Hartford 4 | MOSAIC
President and CEO Gary Sasso and Chief Diversity Officer Nancy Faggianelli were featured in the ABA article “Nine Tips for Building a Diverse and Inclusive Law Firm” about embedding diversity and inclusion into the law firm workplace. Gary received the 2010 CEO Diversity Leadership Award from Diversity Best Practices and co-chaired The Florida Bar’s Gender Diversity Task Force. He was recognized on Florida Trend’s third annual Florida 500 list as one of “Florida’s Most Influential Business Leaders.” He was recently a panelist at the National Bar Association Town Hall Series “Corporate America Has Failed Black Lawyers – Time for Real Change – Empower the Black Partner.”
West Palm Beach Shareholder Kristin Gore was named a National Bar Association “40 Under 40 – Nation's Best Advocates” honoree for 2021 in recognition for her accomplishments as an intrepid litigator, her dedication to pro bono work, and her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Miami Shareholder Rahul Ranadive is the incoming treasurer of the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) of North America. Rahul was one of the founding attorneys of SABA Florida and served as its initial president. He previously served on the board of directors of SABA of North America and as national liaison.
Tampa Shareholder Jin Liu was featured in the 2019 edition of Florida Super Lawyers, in which she shares her story on becoming an attorney after immigrating to the United States from China. After receiving her undergraduate degree in law from Sichuan International Studies University in Chongqing, Jin left her hometown of Liangping to pursue her legal career and see the world. When she arrived in the United States, she knew no one and had little occasion to speak English conversationally. Jin chairs the firm’s Development Industry Group and currently serves as a board member and founding member of the Tampa Bay chapter of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Jin is also a past fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, JIN LIU and later served as historian and Shareholder executive council member of its Tampa alumni association. MOSAIC | 5
Miami Shareholder Yolanda Strader was named a Woman of Impact honoree by the Women’s History Coalition of Miami-Dade County and received the Daily Business Review’s Diversity and Inclusion Award. As past president of the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association, she worked to improve diversity in the judiciary so that it is reflective of the communities it serves. This led to the forming of the Judicial Diversity Initiative, a coalition of minority bar associations dedicated to increasing diversity on the bench. In 2020, Yolanda, and attorneys Christopher Aird and Raina Shipman, won a notable arbitration for a Caribbean-owned restaurant franchise. She assembled a diverse team of attorneys and requested and received a diverse list of potential arbitrators to hear the case. She shares her insights in "From Summer Associate to Big Law Shareholder: Here's How Yolanda Strader Did It" and "Diversity Champions: YOLANDA Carlton Fields' Yolanda STRADER Strader Asks, What Are You Shareholder Doing to Nurture Diverse Talent?" Miami 6 | MOSAIC
Tampa Of Counsel and Florida State Representative Fentrice Driskell served as president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association. She recently served as vice chair of The Florida Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and as co-chair of the Gender Equality Subcommittee. Fentrice has been blazing a trail long before her legal career. She was the first African American woman to serve as student government president at Harvard University. West Palm Beach Shareholder Ashley Drumm serves as president of the Palm Beach County chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Tampa Shareholder Sylvia Walbolt was selected as one of Florida Trend’s Living Legends, a list of only 42 Florida luminaries. She was featured in an article about the first three female fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the most prestigious, invitationonly organizations of trial lawyers in the country. The first female lawyer hired at the firm after graduating at the top of her class in 1963, she is a past chair of the firm’s board of directors and chairs the Appellate Practice and Trial Support Group. Connecticut Shareholder Leslie King was selected as Attorney of the Year by the Connecticut Law Tribune. Leslie was nominated for this award in recognition of her work on behalf of the city of Hartford in a construction dispute. Her work included successfully defending the city from a $90 million claim from a developer and ensuring completion of the city’s minor league baseball stadium through negotiations with the surety.
Miami Office Co-Managing Shareholder Amy Furness was featured on the cover of the July 2019 issue of Florida Trend and in an in-depth article focusing on Amy’s legal career. In November 2019, she was elected vice president – sustaining of PLAC, formerly the Product Liability Advisory Council. In recognition of her strong record of leadership, performance, and innovation, as well as her dedication to her community, Amy was named one of South Florida Business Journal’s 2020 Influential Business Women and 2021 Power Leaders. A member of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce board of directors since 2016, Amy will serve as first vice chair in June 2021.
AMY FURNESS Shareholder Miami MOSAIC | 7
Tampa Shareholder Eleanor Yost was named to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Bar Association’s inaugural list of the "Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials." The list recognizes female practitioners who have appeared in the highest number of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office PTAB trial proceedings since 2012. Eleanor was featured in the PTAB Bar Association’s 2019 report on Women at the PTAB, which studies gender diversity at law firms and companies participating in PTAB proceedings. One of the few women in an exceptionally male-dominated field, Eleanor stands out as a triple threat—she has experience ELEANOR YOST litigating patent cases in Shareholder district court, arguing appeals TAMPA before the Federal Circuit, and practicing before the PTAB. 8 | MOSAIC
Tampa Shareholder and Tax Practice Chair Cristin Keane was honored as the Gerald T. Hart Outstanding Tax Attorney of the Year by The Florida Bar. In May 2020, she was elected as a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, which comprises top tax professionals recognized for their extraordinary accomplishments and dedication to improving the practice of tax law. Miami Of Counsel Edith Osman was the recipient of the University of Miami School of Law’s Henry Latimer Leadership and Professionalism Award. Edith was recently appointed chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Meetings and Travel and was selected as one of the ABA’s "100 Women Who Inspire Us." Edith is widely known for her pioneering role as the second female president of The Florida Bar.
West Palm Beach Shareholder Amanda Romfh Jesteadt is the vice chair of the Women’s Foundation of Florida and helped organize a series of summer events dedicated to racial justice and equity. She served as president of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Palm Beach County chapter, and on The Florida Bar's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She was named a finalist for the 2021 Dorothy Height Racial Justice Award by the YWCA of Palm Beach County in recognition of her work in addressing racial injustice in the county. Washington, D.C., Shareholder Gina Hough serves on the LGBT subcommittee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
Atlanta Shareholder Robert “Bobby” Shannon retired from the Air Force in 2017 with the rank of major general after 35 years of military service, including many years when he served while maintaining his legal practice, and served as vice commander for the Georgia Air National Guard. Bobby was the first African American in the Georgia Air National Guard to be promoted to full colonel and brigadier general. During his military career, he had 18 deployments in support of combat and contingency operations to 30 countries. He served on the board of governors and as co-chair of the diversity steering committee for the State Bar of Georgia; as a representative on the Law School Association Council; as president of the Gate City Bar Association, the oldest Black bar association in Georgia; and as chairman of the Atlanta Business League, ROBERT SHANNON which serves Atlanta’s Black Shareholder Atlanta business community. MOSAIC | 9
CONSULTANCIES Washington, D.C., Shareholder Rae Vann was named to the Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity board of directors. The organization unites Connecticut’s leading law firms, corporations, public sector entities, law schools, and state bar associations to advance diversity in the legal profession. Rae is a shareholder and vice president of Core Triangle Consulting LLC, a separate, wholly owned subsidiary of Carlton Fields that provides a variety of human capital management consulting services. Rae recently spoke on a panel at the Greater Washington Board of Trade as part of its racial and social equity webinar series and, in February 2021, joined the faculty RAE VANN of the Institute for Shareholder Washington, D.C. Workplace Equality. 10 | MOSAIC
Two of the firm’s three consultancies are led or co-led by female or diverse attorneys. Core Triangle Consulting LLC — human resources risk management consultancy Core Triangle is co-led by Rae Vann, vice president, and Cathleen Bell Bremmer, senior consultant. The team also includes Allison Kahn, senior consultant, and Amanda Brahm, consultant.
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C O N S U L T I N G ORGANIZATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT
SQrBlock Solutions LLC — blockchain consultancy SQrBlock is led by Huhnsik Chung, president and chief executive officer, and Barry Weissman, executive vice president. Barry was appointed to the State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness (COAF) for a three-year term. COAF serves as the bar’s diversity “think tank” and advises the board of trustees on strategies to enhance diversity opportunities and advancement in the legal profession.
SQrBlock Solutions
New York Shareholder Huhnsik Chung is the co-chair of Carlton Fields’ Fintech and P&C Insurance Regulatory and Transactional Practice. Huhnsik came to the United States from Korea when he was 9 years old. Although his father was an engineer and his mother was a pharmacist, licensing and language barriers led them to very different careers as owners of a Greek Korean grocery store in Queens, which in turn led Huhnsik to a career in law after appearing as the star witness in an arbitration and helping his family prevail. Huhnsik has been recognized by Lawyers of Color as one of the Nation’s Best and a Trailblazer Honoree by the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York. He also serves on the boards of the Insurance Federation of New York, the Asian American Law Fund of New York, and as an advisory board member of the Asian American HUHNSIK CHUNG Bar Association of New York. Shareholder New York
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DIVERSITY AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS The Best Law Firms (firms with 251-600 attorneys)
4th minority equity partners top 30 minority attorneys Law360’s 2020 Diversity Snapshot
The American Lawyer’s 2020 Diversity Scorecard
top
30
OUT OF
200
LAW FIRMS
100% perfect score 12 consecutive years
The American Lawyer’s 2020 Diversity Scorecard
Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality”
top
5
law firms in Florida with the most female honorees Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite
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6 of 11 offices co-led by women and minorities
Since its inclusion in the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms, Carlton Fields has ranked among the country’s top 15 law firms for creating, maintaining, and fostering a diverse workplace, and in the top 25 for technology and innovation. Carlton Fields is just one of six law firms ranked in the top 10 in all five of Vault’s Best Law Firms diversity rankings: 5TH DIVERSITY
RACIAL & ETHNIC DIVERSITY
4TH 6TH 4TH
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS
8TH WOMEN
1 of the top law firms in the nation for female attorneys Law360’s Glass Ceiling Report
top florida-based law firm for Black partners
top
5
for Black attorneys and minority attorneys Daily Business Review’s 2020 Diversity Report
Board of Directors
31.25% diverse 25% women chaired by a minority male
Administrative Directors
5 of 8 are women
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LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ON LEGAL DIVERSITY Each year, the firm nominates a midto senior-level associate to be an LCLD Pathfinder and a junior shareholder to be an LCLD Fellow. In addition, LCLD has an active alumni program that allows alumni to maintain and grow their relationships.
LCLD BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2021 FELLOW 2021 PATHFINDER
Daniel Enriquez Miami
President and CEO Gary Sasso served on the LCLD’s board of directors and co-chaired the Fellows Program with the chief legal officer and secretary of Procter & Gamble.
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Roben West Atlanta
LCLD is a premier national organization made up of more than 350 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners, working to build a more open and diverse legal profession.
Carlton Fields was recognized by LCLD for its efforts to promote diversity in the legal profession and named as a 2020 Top Performer. The LCLD Top Performer award recognizes organizations in the top 20% for participation in LCLD programs and activities. Carlton Fields is one of only 75 members acknowledged for their continued commitment to building more diverse organizations and a more inclusive legal profession.
FURTHERING DIVERSITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES Carlton Fields sponsored the National Bar Association Commercial Law Section's 34th Annual Corporate Counsel Conference. Attorneys Robert Simpson, Rae Vann, Derek Harris, Yolanda Strader, Kristin Gore, Christopher Aird, Darnesha Carter, Michael Donaldson, Roben West, Raina Shipman, and Gina Hough attended the conference, which is dedicated to identifying and retaining diverse outside counsel. Shareholders Derek Harris and Yolanda Strader served as moderators.
in corporate governance and finance; technology; business development and relationship building; and cybersecurity and privacy.
The firm is a sponsor of the 2021 Summer Pre-Law Seminar hosted by the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, a national nonprofit that was founded in 1968 to expand opportunities for minority and low-income students to attend law school.
The firm sponsored the YWCA of Palm Beach County’s 8th Annual Stand Against Racism Luncheon, focusing on “Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis.”
The firm sponsored the Federal Communications Bar Association’s 2021 Women’s Summit Series, a four-part series focusing on women’s leadership
The firm sponsored the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County’s 25th Annual Giraffe Awards, honoring women who have “stuck their necks out” for other women in the community. West Palm Beach Shareholder Amanda Jesteadt was an award finalist at the event.
The firm sponsored the 2020 AIG Winter Summit. In partnership with Disabled Sports USA, the event supports wounded warfighters and youth with disabilities.
The firm sponsored the Women’s Foundation of Florida 2020 Raise the Bar Event, which helps raise critical funds to support the organization’s programs and mission of advancing women’s leadership. Carlton Fields is sponsoring the George Edgecomb Bar Association’s 38th Annual Scholarship Banquet. Tampa’s largest predominantly African American voluntary bar association since 1982, GEBA has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to college-bound students. The firm sponsored the second annual DEI Expanding Opportunity in Insurance Conference. Shareholders Huhnsik Chung and Irma Solares attended the virtual event, which brings together hundreds of insurance thought leaders from across the country to discuss DEI in the insurance industry.
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EMBRACING DIVERSITY In this, our 120th year as a law firm, Carlton Fields’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not a recent epiphany. Nor has it been prompted by client or social pressures. Quite to the contrary, it is deep in our DNA, extending back many decades. The firm’s namesake, Gov. Doyle Carlton, championed women’s suffrage in Florida in the 1920s. He was appointed by Gov. Eisenhower to this country’s first Civil Rights Commission. Carlton Fields was one of the first law firms based in the South to hire a female partner, a Black partner, and a Jewish partner, and to adopt same-sex benefits for its LGBTQ+ employees. Our law firm took these steps at a time when many clients looked askance at such developments. We employ many and varied strategies to achieve our goal of robust DEI. Recruiting and Promotion We have enjoyed great success over the past 15 years or more in promoting female and diverse attorneys to shareholder in great number. Over 10 years ago, we eliminated our strict “two-tier” system and now generally use only one class of stock that affords all shareholders equal voting rights, access to all activities and any leadership role in the firm, and participation in the same compensation process under the same performance-based, not class-based, criteria. 16 | MOSAIC
Representation Female and diverse lawyers are represented significantly in leadership roles and in offices and practice areas across our firm.
Elimination of Hidden Barriers We scrutinize all offices, practice groups, and industry groups on an ongoing basis to ensure that all female and diverse lawyers are strategically placed and receiving access to important opportunities to build and sustain successful careers. We monitor this in real time, year in and year out.
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Our CEO personally oversees We monitor our diversity the firm’s diversity efforts and metrics on a regular basis, reports to our board on our progress including the engagement of and challenges. The firm’s chief diversity female diverse lawyers in servicing officer and full-time talent director are our most significant clients and responsible for overseeing and effectuating matters to ensure that female and DEI. Our practice group leaders are all charged diverse lawyers are not simply with embracing and implementing DEI. staying busy but are getting Training and Professional DEI is a standing agenda item for every equitable access to the Development managers meeting, which include firm’s best professional our CEO, CDO, talent director, opportunities. We provide career track and practice group and industry business development training to our group leaders, and other firm female and diverse attorneys at strategic managers. stages of their careers in groups and in one-on-one coaching, employing in-house and outside professionals, and through a sponsorship program pairing diverse Culture of Diversity lawyers with highly successful senior Succession Planning We have established shareholders in our firm to facilitate Our formal succession a genuine culture of the development of important planning policy requires that diversity. All law firms tout client relationships and access all shareholders who manage their collegiality. We do, too. to strategic engagements. significant client relationships But ours has a secret involve female and diverse lawyers sauce: What you see intentionally in these relationships is what you get. and position them for leadership roles when actual succession occurs. MOSAIC | 17
PRO BONO WORK FURTHERING DIVERSITY Upholding Equality in Voting Led by New York Shareholder Natalie Napierala, a team of 14 shareholders, associates, and paralegals across the firm assisted in a nationwide project by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to document the extent of racial voting discrimination in the United States. The firm’s detailed report for the state of New York, deemed one of the most complex states of the project, will be used by the Lawyers’ Committee to determine the extent of voting discrimination in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County decision, which struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.
NATALIE NAPIERALA Shareholder New York 18 | MOSAIC
As co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, Natalie seeks to foster a culture of pro bono service and continue the firm’s long-standing commitment to helping those in need.
Education Equality The firm partnered with the ACLU, Public Counsel, and Arnold & Porter in filing an application for a temporary restraining order in Cruz v. State of California. In an overwhelming and powerful condemnation of the breakdown of inner-city schools, the court adopted the novel theory of the case that failure to provide substantive educational hours comparable to other California schools in more affluent areas is a denial of a constitutional right to “basic educational equality.” Los Angeles Office Managing Shareholder Mark Neubauer and Legal Administrative Assistant Maria Rodriguez received the ACLU Education Equity Award for their work on the case, which received national publicity for its creative approach to equal education being founded on “equal time.”
Challenging the Dilution of Minority Votes As part of a broader effort to build a body of law with which to challenge the dilution of minority votes, the firm co-counseled with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in a federal lawsuit challenging a Georgia county’s district boundaries under the Voting Rights Act. After the firm filed the complaint, the parties reached a settlement under which the district map will be redrawn to create a second “majority-minority” district.
Supporting Marriage Equality Carlton Fields represented six same-sex couples who were refused marriage licenses from their county clerk’s office. With the help of Carlton Fields, those couples and the Equality Florida Institute challenged Florida’s ban
on same-sex marriage under the 14th Amendment. Following the judge’s ruling against the ban, plaintiff couple Cathy Pareto and Karla Arguello became the first same-sex couple to be married in Florida.
Making Changes Carlton Fields took part in Legal Services of Greater Miami’s campaign to assist LGBTQ+ individuals obtain a name change. The firm’s legal representation helped an LGBTQ+ individual receive a court order allowing him to obtain identifying documents with the appropriate name and gender. Carlton Fields’ work on this case helped the firm win the Legal Services’ Equal Justice Pro Bono Award.
Equality Partnerships Carlton Fields has partnered with Equality Florida and other LGBTQ+ organizations over the years to expand LGBTQ+ rights. Our firm has represented several LGBTQ+ individuals in trial and appellate court cases involving family law and adoption matters, including:
y A teenager whose school would not allow
students to participate in the annual Day of Silence.
y Successfully argued that Florida must recognize out-of-state adoptions by same-sex couples.
y Equality Florida as an amicus in two federal court cases to defend ordinances banning conversion therapy on minors.
Tackling the Travel Ban On behalf of the ACLU, Atlanta Shareholder and Technology Industry Group Chair Gail Podolsky filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit demanding government documents concerning the president’s executive orders on travel and immigration. The legal action is one of 13 FOIA lawsuits by ACLU state affiliates around the nation seeking records from federal agencies related to the travel bans. The litigation resulted in the production of more than 95,000 documents. Gail received the 2019 ACLU Volunteer Leadership Award for her pro bono contributions, including her representation of a Muslim GAIL PODOLSKY woman who was forced to remove Shareholder her hijab in a Georgia courtroom. Atlanta In 2020, Gail received the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance’s Intellectual Property Community Service Award and was featured in Georgia Super Lawyers for “moving the needle” on important causes and issues. MOSAIC | 19
PIPELINE INITIATIVES Carlton Fields supports several pipeline programs for students of all ages, including:
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CELEBRATING INCLUSION Carlton Fields has joined the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, a coalition of more than 200 law firms dedicated to furthering the pursuit of equal justice in the law. As a partnering law firm, Carlton Fields commits to leverage the resources of the private bar to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism, to better use the law as a vehicle for change to benefit communities of color, and to promote racial equity in the law and in government institutions. In response to the death of George Floyd and the protests across the country, Carlton Fields called upon its employees to share their thoughts about the recent events impacting our country’s current climate. The resulting video, “Unity in a Time of Crisis,” shares representative stories from within the firm — expressions of grief, despair, and hope felt and expressed by the firm’s own employees — in the hopes of helping all of us understand the gravity of recent events but also to heal and move forward together. Each year, Carlton Fields hosts an Annual Firmwide Diversity Event, a firmwide celebration with a variety of activities dedicated to recognizing the unique cultures of the firm and perspectives of Carlton Fields’ attorneys and staff. In honor of Black History Month in 2021, Carlton Fields hosted Florida Senator Shevrin D. Jones, the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the Florida Senate and former member of the Florida House of Representatives, for a firmwide video conference. Sen. Jones shared his path to politics, how he is breaking boundaries, and how we can all make an impact on our communities.
2021 22nd anniversary of the firm extending benefits to employees’ domestic partners. Carlton Fields launched a bilingual microsite to help startups and entrepreneurs grow and thrive. With content in both English and Spanish, LaunchToThrive.com provides legal documents, resources, and free counsel to entrepreneurs in the technology industry, including a population of Hispanic entrepreneurs that has been underserviced nationwide.
NEW DIVERSE ATTORNEYS Vanessa Singh Johannes is an experienced trial attorney whose practice focuses on white collar defense and government investigations. For a decade, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida. Born in Guyana, and raised in South Miami, Vanessa is devoted to giving back to her community. She has volunteered as a writing coach for the Posse Foundation, which provides minority high school students with college scholarships and training in writing and leadership skills. Vanessa is also involved in the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association and the Caribbean Bar Association.
Dorrella Gallaway focuses her practice on real property litigation. Her broad litigation background includes representing national banks, mortgage servicers, and investors in real estate litigation matters throughout Florida, obtaining numerous six-figure judgments and settlements for her clients. Her experience includes arguing and defending against motions in court, first-chairing trials, promoting clients’ interests in mediation, and negotiating settlements. 22 | MOSAIC
Novera Ahmad is a defense litigator whose practice focuses on property and casualty insurance. She handles all aspects of litigation, including motion practice, discovery, depositions, court appearances, mediation, and trial preparation. Born in the United States to Pakistani parents, Novera visits Pakistan every few years, giving her an opportunity to learn more about her culture. She speaks Urdu and Hindi and is a member of the firm’s Minority and Women’s Business Resource Groups. Kurt Taylor is a litigator whose practice focuses on white collar crime and government investigations, with particular experience in the health care industry. He represents clients in civil and criminal government investigations involving Department of Justice civil investigative demands and requests for documents and information. Katie Sadlo’s practice focuses on commercial litigation. She has handled matters involving antitrust law, handset trafficking, and employment law, among other issues. Katie was a firstgeneration college student and is the first attorney in her family.
Amanda Brahm is a labor and employment Samia Bennouna’s practice focuses on real Ted Delcima represents clients and education attorney property litigation. She represents clients in in commercial litigation matters. whose practice encompasses a wide range of commercial disputes that His experience includes federal and state court litigation. involve every aspect of the rights and matters involving contract A significant portion of her duties associated with real property. disputes, product liability, practice involves counseling Samia is a first-generation college and health law. Ted’s health clients on a variety of employment graduate and attorney. Dara Makana law experience includes and higher education issues. Lindquist Ellis working for the University She was recently designated represents of Miami School of Law's represents as the Interim Deputy Title developers, Health Rights Clinic clients in IX Coordinator for Trinity Logan Owens is a trial contractors, and in collaboration with College, where she lawyer who represents mass tort and owners in a wide the Miller School of assists with Title IX clients throughout the product liability spectrum of Medicine, where compliance efforts. United States in high-stakes matters, including constructionhe represented matters that often exceed pharmaceutical, related low-income $100 million in exposure. matters. For medical device, toxic patients of the Her experience includes more than a tort litigation, and Comprehensive Emily Green has more representing Fortune 500 decade, she health care litigation. AIDS Program. than a decade of companies and spans a has advised Additionally, Makana assists experience in highvariety of litigation areas, clients in complex stakes litigation, with construction litigation and including complex contract, lien, bond, including mass tort transactional matters across torts, product liability, and procurement and product liability premises liability, the Northeast. Makana previously disputes, as well as matters, intellectual transportation, bad worked as a public defender at the appeals throughout property matters, faith litigation, Bridgeport G.A. 2 Courthouse, and Florida. Dara has handled class actions, and business before that, she served as a clerk at numerous multimillion-dollar and a variety of litigation. construction defect cases the New Haven J.D. Superior Courthouse. other complex involving residential, multifamily, and Makana is the 2021–2022 president of the commercial single-family homes, condominiums, George W. Crawford Black Bar Association. litigation. and commercial buildings. MOSAIC | 23
www.carltonfields.com/about-us/diversity-equity-inclusion Atlanta • Hartford • Los Angeles • Miami New Jersey • New York • Orlando • Tallahassee Tampa • Washington, D.C. • West Palm Beach Carlton Fields practices law in California through Carlton Fields, LLP. OCTOBER 2021
