come in. My father always described the work he did as ‘helping those in need when they need it the most,' and I want to do all I can to follow in his footsteps.” Alexis has handled many high profile cases within the state of Pennsylvania and has even been permitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the truest indication of any practicing attorney’s skill, experience and dedication. According to Alexis however, while this was nothing short of an honor, what meant even more to her was winning a case that hit closer to home, both literally and figuratively. “One of my proudest achievements to date was restructuring a law that had been previously decided and upheld by the entirety of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” she offered. “The reason being that winning the case really did spell victory for all injured workers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In short, I was able to prove and convince the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to both expand and clarify the definition of what it means to be a traveling employee, in favor of Pennsylvania workers. The wording of the law’s previous definition was unfairly biased toward the insurance companies, often resulting in deserving people being denied workers’ compensation benefits.”
A WARRIOR FOR THE WORKERS ALEXIS BERG-TOWNSEND’S CONTINUED ACTIVISM FOR PENNSYLVANIA EMPLOYEES, WOMEN AND COMMUNITIES “Even as a kid, I knew I wanted to practice law,” said Alexis Berg-Townsend, Esq., ‘03. While this may seem an unusual aspiration for a child, it is more than understandable given her upbringing. Alexis spent many formative years watching her father run his own legal practice in her hometown of Whitehall, Pennsylvania and was inspired by his passion for being a voice for the voiceless. Now a legal partner with Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo, a law firm specializing in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases in Northeast Pennsylvania, she asserts that she approaches her cases with the same mindset. “It’s something I try to emulate in my own day-today affairs,” Alexis explained. “As a Social Security and Workers’ Compensation Specialist Attorney, I work with people when they’re often at their lowest points physically, mentally and financially. The people who turn to me for help are crestfallen, unable to pay large medical expenses on their own and unsure of how to go about arguing against the deep-pocketed insurance agencies or their local governments. That’s where I DRAGON A WARRIOR FOR THE WORKERS / 16
A particular point of pride for Alexis is that she remained closely involved through every step of the process, including handling every lower court appeal before being permitted to bring the case before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. “It was my baby in a sense,” Alexis remembered. “I watched it grow and move through every stage of the legal process. I remember feeling such a sense of accomplishment when it was all over. I’d wanted to handle a case of that magnitude – help that many people – since I was a little girl.” Though Alexis discovered her true calling early in life, she had to wait for her age to catch up with her sense of ambition before seeing the inside of a courthouse. “If you would have asked eight-year-old me if she thought she was ready for a case, the answer would have been ‘yes,’” she joked. “Kidding aside, seeing my dad in action really did give me a sense of what the job looked like behind the scenes, which is an experience most aren’t privy to until their first legal internship. He did everything he could to nurture the curiosity I felt back then.” When it was time to begin her college journey, Alexis may have ultimately wound up at TU, but not before taking an unexpected detour. “I actually first enrolled at Ohio State,” she explained. “It was a wonderful school with a well-respected pre-law program, but too big for me. I realized then that a smaller environment – one where I could receive more individualized attention and support would be better suited to my needs.” Alexis first made the decision to transfer to TU because of its softball program. Having years of experience already under her belt, she was recruited to play competitively as a Dragon. Little did she know that what began as a hobby
