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 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 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

would blossom into a lifelong passion project centered around empowering other women through athletics and community.

“I played all four years,” she said. “After I graduated, I started coaching high school softball and discovered that my passion for helping others could be applied to this medium, too. Guiding these young women both on and off the field was and continues to be a great joy. Participating in sports does so much more for the players than many realize. It gives them this sense of belonging, which does wonders for their confidence. I always encourage my teams to apply the same drive for self-improvement and success to their professional lives as well.”

Alexis is still coaching to this day and even participates in one of TU’s newer mentorship programs where current student-athletes are paired with alumni who also used to play the same sport. As luck would have it, the mentee paired with Alexis also happens to be interested in studying law.

“I feel I can be an even greater asset to her, as I’m able to offer industry-tested advice,” said Alexis. “Not to mention, TU did so much to prepare me for my legal career, that I have every confidence they will do the same for her.”

According to those closely involved with the Softball Alumni Mentorship Program, Alexis and other volunteers have greatly benefitted the student players.

"Being a student athlete can be challenging and this partnership provides our current players with someone who also had to balance academic and athletic demands," said Paige McMenemy, TU Head Softball Coach. "Having someone additional to talk to about softball, academics or life is great for our players. I can’t thank the alumni enough for all they have done for our players and program. Alumni participants have sent care packages, letters and cards, texts of encouragement before games or finals and have really embraced the opportunity to give back to our players and program."

While enrolled at TU, Alexis studied criminal justice and forensic psychology and was pleasantly surprised to find that despite the school’s smaller size, there was no shortage of opportunities available to her and other students.

“Whether it was through internship prospects, introducing me to new professional contacts or simply the quality of instruction provided, I feel strongly that a degree from Tiffin holds the same weight as one from a larger state school,” she said. “I still remember learning so much from Dr. Hurwitz, Dr. Victor and Dr. Stocker, as the professors brought their real-world experiences into the classes they taught, and that in itself is invaluable to any young person. Many of my former professors even continued to help me professionally after graduation, which touched me deeply. That’s the true value of attending Tiffin – Dragons help other Dragons, and the relationship doesn’t end at commencement.” After graduating in 2003, Alexis went on to study at Ohio Northern University’s Claude W. Pettit College of Law. Originally, it was her plan to take the Ohio Bar Examination after graduation and work for the Federal Public Defender’s Office through the Southern District of the Ohio Public Defender’s Office. But after a change of heart, she decided to return to Pennsylvania where she practiced at her father’s firm for several years, moving on to coach collegiate softball on the side. In 2015, she found her way to Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo.

Though Alexis didn’t find her forever home in Ohio, she still cheers on her alma mater from afar, and also engages in significant philanthropy work.

“I tell everyone about TU,” she said with a laugh. “Since they’re a regional institution, many people in my neck of the woods don’t know about all the wonderful things they do and the caliber of education they provide, so I do my best to tell anybody who will listen.”

In addition to her long history of softball coaching, Alexis is also an outspoken supporter of Pennsylvania labor unions as well as Pennsylvania public school systems and donates significant time and resources to their improvement. One endeavor of which she is particularly proud is her continued work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). For these efforts, she was recently nominated as a candidate to receive their 2021 Woman of the Year Award. This recognition was made in light of both her and her team raising over $65,000 for the affiliate LLS Man & Woman of the Year Campaign, a charitable effort dedicated to helping those affected by its namesake diseases. The fundraising efforts of Alexis and her team allowed for the naming of immunotherapy research in honor of J. Michael Schweder, her late uncle who passed away from lymphoma during the 2021 campaign. Alexis is especially proud to have helped advance this research due to her personal connection to the cause.

“I think it’s imperative that if you are in a position to give back in any capacity, that you absolutely should,” said Alexis. “At the end of the day, I just want to help people – whether it’s through my career, in my personal life or through charitable works, I try to do all I can, and am privileged to have the platforms that make it all possible. I wouldn’t be where I am today without a number of people investing in me, so it’s really the least I can do to pay it forward.”