Diverse Partners Network Newsletter

September 14, 2012

Dear All,

Set out below is our newsletter for this week. I wish to thank each

of you for your support of our Diverse Partners Network.

Remember to submit your notices of events as early in the week as

possible. We welcome your suggestions on how we can continue to

provide a valuable service to the DPN members.

Industry News

Goins Nominated to Atlanta IPA Inn of Court

Jonathan Goins, a partner with Gonzalez, Saggio &

Harlan LLP, has been nominated into membership with

the Atlanta Intellectual Property American Inn of Court.

Established in 2010, the Atlanta IP Inn promotes pro-

fessionalism, civility, ethics and legal excellence in the

Atlanta IP legal community. The Atlanta IP Inn is com-

prised of over a hundred attorneys with companies,

law firms, the judiciary, and academia devoted to con-

tinuing to develop and advance intellectual property

law. Selected attorneys are extended membership by

invitation only. Congratulations Jonathan!

Carothers Named to Two Top Lawyer Lists

Dave Carothers, managing partner of the San Diego

office of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP, has

recently been selected by his peers for inclusion in The

Best Lawyers in America 2013 in the field of Litigation -

Labor and Employment. Carothers was also named to

the San Diego Super Lawyers list as one of the top

attorneys in San Diego for 2012. No more than 5 per-

cent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super

Lawyers, making this quite an honor.

Events and Fundraisers

Women’s Bar Association Panel on Presidential Appointments

Philip Hampton II Joins Haynes and Boone LLP

Haynes and Boone, LLP is pleased to announce that

Philip G. Hampton, II has joined the Washington, D.C.

office as a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property

Practice Group. Mr. Hampton has more than 30 years

of experience practicing IP law as both a practitioner

and an administrator. An MIT trained chemical engi-

neer, Phil brings a wealth of experience focused on

patent and trademark litigation, patent and trademark

counseling, trademark prosecution, and counseling

with regard to the IP aspects of the Internet. He has

served as an expert witness in more than 20 contest-

ed trademark cases and a special master in several

patent infringement actions.

Brigida Benitez, Named A WBA Star of the Bar

Brigida Benitez, a partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, willbe one of the Women’s Bar Association’s honorees at itsStars of the Bar Fall Networking Reception on Wednesday,September 12, 2012, at 6pm, at the Hogan Lovells AtriumLobby, 555 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC. This year,the WBA is honoring five women leaders who have cham-pioned change in the profession. These women champi-ons have led by example, advocated for justice and pro-moted the advancement of women in the profession. WBAlooks forward to honoring and publicly saluting theirachievements. This free event kicks off the WBA year andprovides a venue where more than 300 attorneys, judgesand law students gather to network and learn more aboutthe WBA, its work and mission. Registration is online atwww.wba.org.

Sixth Circuit Success for DPN Member Mike Reed

In an important ruling last Friday, the U.S. Court ofAppeals for the Sixth Circuit held that severance pay-ments paid to laid-off employees were supplementalunemployment compensation benefits that were notwages subject to FICA taxation. The employer –Quality Stores – and its former employees are enti-tled to refunds of approximately $1 million (plus inter-est) that had been paid to the IRS for FICA taxes. Itis estimated that over $4 billion in similar refundclaims could be affected by this decision. The em-ployer was represented by DPN member Michael H.Reed, of Pepper Hamilton LLP, who wrote the brief,and Robert S. Hertzberg, a fellow partner at PepperHamilton, who presented the oral argument.

Employment Opportunities

Women’s Bar Association Panel on Presidential Appointments

On Wednesday, September 19, the WBA’s Government Attorneys Forum, will host the

panel from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the City Club of Washington. This event continues the

WBA tradition of presenting a panel in which prominent presidential appointees share

their experiences about the appointment process during each presidential election year.

It is a bi-partisan event, featuring women from both Democratic and Republican admin-

istrations spanning several decades. During this event, panelists will discuss how you

should position yourself from a personal and professional perspective for a future presi-

dential appointment. The panel discussion will consist of an informative introduction by

each speaker, followed by a question and answer period involving the audience. A mod-

erator will lead a lively discussion designed to elicit advice, opinions and anecdotes

about experiences throughout the appointment process. The discussion will be followed

by a reception of beer, wine, cheese, and heavy hors d'oeuvres. To register please go

to www.wbadc.org.

Delaware Barristers’ Louis L. Redding Benefit and Awards Gala

The Delaware Barristers Association, the Delaware affiliate of the NBA, will hold its an-

nual dinner and awards gala on Friday, November 9, at the Hotel Dupont’s Gold Ball-

room. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m., dinner is at 7p.m. For more information, and to pur-

chase tickets, click here.

Multiple Openings at Ballard Spahr, LLP

Ballard Spahr has openings in its Phoenix, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas,

Atlanta and Salt Lake City offices. Please click here for more information, and to apply.

Equal Employment Opportunity Project Director

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs seeks a Direc-

tor for the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Project, one of the Committee’s oldest

and most active practice areas and has been counsel in a number of precedent-setting

employment discrimination cases. The EEO Project represents individuals and plaintiff

classes in a broad spectrum of litigation under federal, state and local non-

discrimination and family and medical leave laws. Responsibilities include managing a

large employment discrimination and family and medical leave litigation docket and oth-

er civil rights cases; managing extensive intake interviews and investigations; supervis-

ing a paralegal and visiting attorneys and fellows; coordinating work with other Commit-

tee project directors and pro bono counsel from cooperating law firms; developing cas-

es and setting Project priorities; representing the Project in policy discussions with

agencies and other civil rights organizations, and budgeting Project expenses and reve-

nues. The EEO project director will also have primary responsibility for managing the

Committee’s relatively limited public accommodations docket, which has on numerous

occasions included major class action litigation against national and regional defend-

ants . Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume including law school

GPA, list of references and two writing samples in Portable Document Format attached

to an email to wlcjobs@washlaw.org. Please place “[your name] - Equal Employment

Opportunity Project Director Application” in the subject line.

Labor and Employment Senior Counsel, Northrup Grumman, McLean, VA

This is a position reporting to the Assistant General Counsel, Labor and Employment.

This position will provide labor and employment law support for multiple areas of the

company, including the services businesses. Responsibilities will include the timely and

effective provision of legal advice and services and business solutions to senior human

resources and business executives and working with various operations lawyers and

other legal specialists inside and outside the company. Counsel must have broad and

in-depth experience in the practice of labor and employment law (a minimum of nine

years) and have a record of managing complex legal matters. Position requires sub-

stantial expertise in affirmative action laws that apply to federal contractors (OFCCP),

wage and hour laws including the FLSA and Service Contract Act, EEO laws and regu-

lations, and other state and federal laws relating to labor and employment issues. Posi-

tion also requires expertise in the National Labor Relations Act and prior experience

dealing with unions and union organizing, negotiating and preparing settlement agree-

ments, employment agreements, and other employment related documents, and repre-

senting clients in mediations and administrative hearings. For additional information,

and to apply, click here.

Social Services Attorney, Charles County, Maryland

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking applicants for a Social Services Attorney

III to represent the Charles County Department of Social Services (“CCDSS”). This

position represents the Services, Family Investment Administration, and Local General

Administration divisions of the CCDSS in a variety of legal matters including represen-

tation of CCDSS in the circuit courts in child welfare proceedings and adult protective

services cases. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of three years of legal expe-

rience and admission to the Maryland Bar. Experience in child welfare matters such

as Child in Need of Assistance (“CINA”) and Termination of Parental Rights (“TPR”)

cases is preferred. Interested persons should submit resumes and a writing sample

to: David Beller, Principal Counsel, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Hu-

man Resources, 311 West Saratoga Street, Suite 1015, Baltimore, MD 21201, email:

dbeller@oag.state.md.us, by the close of business on Friday, September 21, 2012.

Contractual AAG, Mortgage Services Unit, State of Maryland

The Office of the Attorney General seeks a candidate for a contractual Assistant Attor-ney General to conduct investigations and prosecutions of mortgage and other housing-related fraud in the Mortgage Services Settlement unit. The ideal candidate will have aminimum of three years of criminal litigation experience, and strong analytical and writ-ing skills. White collar crime experience is preferred. Maryland bar membership is re-quired. Interested persons should submit a resume with cover letter explaining candi-date’s interest in the position, a list of references, and writing sample to Daniel Barnett,Chief, Criminal Division, Office of the Attorney General, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore,MD 21202 by the close of business on Wednesday, September 26, 2012.

Voter Protection Attorney (Temporary)

Advancement Project seeks a creative problem solver, strong advocate, and skilled at-torney in its Washington D.C. office to join our Voter Protection Program as a Staff At-torney. This is a temporary position for the 2012 elections. The candidate must be amember of, or be eligible to waive into, the DC Bar; have one to three years legal expe-rience; a demonstrated commitment to racial justice; excellent written, verbal, analytical,interpersonal, and organizational skills; an interest in working with grassroots organiza-tions; a willingness to travel; and a willingness to work in other program areas, as need-

ed. Fluency in Spanish, organizing experience, litigation experience, and coalition-building experiences are pluses. Salary is based on experience; benefits included. Toapply, please send a cover letter, resume, two writing samples, and a list of three refer-ences to the attention of Glendale Clarkson, at jobs@advancementproject.org andplease reference "VPP Staff Attorney" in the subject line.

Office Director, Southern Environmental Law Center, Charlottesville, VA

The Southern Environmental Law Center is seeking an attorney to serve as director of

our Charlottesville, Virginia Office. The Office Director will be responsible for oversee-

ing all aspects of the office and its success, excluding regional headquarters functions.

This includes the full range of our legal and policy work in Virginia, and institutional de-

velopment and fundraising in Virginia. The Office Director will work in close partnership

with the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and Director of Development, all of whom

are located in Charlottesville. Duties include developing, implementing, and leading the

overall legal and policy advocacy program of the office; hiring and supervising attorneys

and other Virginia staff; serving as principal SELC spokesperson in Virginia and working

closely with the development and communications departments to strengthen and se-

cure financial support for the organization and deliver its messages to various audienc-

es; representing SELC in collaborations with other organizations and in other institution-

al relationships. To apply, please send your letter of interest, resume, law school tran-

script, and at least three references to Hayley Parrish, Southern Environmental Law

Center, 201 West Main Street, Suite 14, Charlottesville, VA 22902, or e-mail to VA-

jobs@selcva.org. Please indicate clearly Office Director on subject line.

Asst. Attorney General, Environmental Crimes, State of Maryland

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking applicants for an Assistant Attorney Gen-

eral in the Maryland Department of the Environment, Environmental Crimes Unit. The

position will investigate and prosecute environmental crimes throughout the State of

Maryland. Responsibilities include reviewing referrals for criminal sufficiency, working

with law enforcement on pending case investigations, filing and presenting charging

documents, conducting Grand Jury investigations and presentations, handling discov-

ery matters in assigned cases, and representing the State in criminal trials in the Dis-

trict and Circuit Courts throughout Maryland The ideal candidate will have a minimum

of five years of legal experience, including experience in felony criminal trial or civil en-

vironmental enforcement, strong legal research skills, and admission to the Maryland

Bar. Interested persons should submit resumes with cover letter to Michelle Barnes,

Chief, Office of the Attorney General, Environmental Crimes Unit, 1800 Washington

Boulevard, Suite 6115, Baltimore, MD 21230, by the close of business on Wednesday,

September 26, 2012

In-house Recruiter, Major Lindsey & Africa, Washington, DC

There is an immediate opening in MLA's Washington, DC office for a Director to join our

in-house team. This is an outstanding opportunity to partner with a successful, growing,

and experienced team of recruiters to learn the executive (corporate) attorney search

business. We’re looking for Washington, DC lawyers with DC area practice experience,

an extensive network, and strong business development skills. Just as important is a

readiness and desire to transition to a new and rewarding career. See link for details.

Please email Nancy Rogers at nrogers@mlaglobal.com with interest and referrals.

Employment Counsel, Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA

Assistant Attorney General, Dept. of Public Safety & Correctional Services

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking candidates for the position of AssistantAttorney General, Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services. The AAG willprovide legal advice concerning procurement matters and defend contract claimsbrought against the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services at the Mary-land State Board of Contract Appeals. In addition, the person will handle federal andstate litigation, both inmate and employee generated, related to correctional matters.The litigation caseload typically includes state tort claims and administrative appeals.The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five years’ litigation experience, MarylandBar membership, and strong analytical and writing skills. Experience in handling pro-curement matters at the federal or state level is preferred. Interested persons shouldsubmit resume, writing sample and list of references to: Stuart M. Nathan, PrincipalCounsel, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Public Safety and CorrectionalServices, 115 Sudbrook Lane, Suite A, Pikesville, MD 21208, by close of business onFriday, September 21, 2012.

Associate Dean for Environmental Programs, Vermont Law School, Vermont

The Associate Dean for Environmental Programs oversees Vermont Law School's sig-nature environmental law programs. The Associate Dean will be a tenured or tenuretrack member of the faculty. In addition to setting the strategic direction for, and over-seeing the administration of, the Environmental Law Center, the Associate Dean is amember of the faculty and is a scholar in the field on environmental law. Candidatesmust have a JD degree and be qualified to teach in the environmental program. Mustalso possess excellent organizational, interpersonal communication, and team build-ing/collaboration skills. Experience in administration and/or management preferredalong with either broad experience in different areas of legal practice in the environ-mental arena or a record of education development as well as a demonstrated abilityto innovate and lead. Applicants should provide a cover letter and resume by October1, 2012. Electronic applications are preferred and should be e-mailed to: facul-tysearch@vermontlaw.edu. Hard copy applications should be sent to: Coordinator,Faculty Appointments Committee, Vermont Law School, P.O. Box 96, South Royalton,VT 05068. For more information, please click here.

Civil Rights Attorney, Cohen Milstein

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC’s Washington, DC law office has an opening for anassociate in the Civil Rights and Employment practice group. The firm specializes inclass action litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. The Civil Rights practice group works toprotect the rights of victims of civil rights and workplace law violations. We are lookingfor a candidate with one to three years of litigation experience, strong writing and ana-lytical skills, and preferably some knowledge of Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, the FairLabor Standards Act, or other civil rights laws. This position requires a commitment tocivil rights work, a team-player attitude, and the ability to travel. To apply, please senda cover letter and resume via email to careers@cohenmilstein.com. Please indicate

Employment Counsel, Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA

Reporting directly to the Head of Global Human Resources, the Assistant Vice Presi-

dent, Employment Counsel is responsible for managing a diverse and challenging ar-

ray of legal, business, and employment matters arising from the company’s worldwide

workforce of 10,000+, with an objective of balancing the need to support the achieve-

ment of business goals while minimizing potential legal liability resulting from employ-

ment decisions. This role leads a global team responsible for working on a broad range

of complex legal issues related to HR, employment litigation, risk management for em-

ployment related liability, and internal investigations. This position also provides advice

and strategy with respect to various company policies, guidelines, and practices. The

AVP, Employment Counsel partners closely with Company’s General Counsel. Some

travel is required. For additional information, and to apply, please contact Andrea Bric-

ca at MLA Global.

For additional opportunities, please check the Metropolitan Corporate Counsel’s Hot

Jobs List

For more information about the Diverse Partners Network, please contact

Benjamin F. Wilson at bwilson@bdlaw.com.

Senior Litigator, Howard University, Washington, DC

Howard University's Office of the General Counsel, seeks an experienced attorney toprovide professional leadership, legal assistance and legal representation for the Uni-versity before the courts of the District of Columbia. Candidates must have a JurisDoctor from an ABA-accredited law school, membership or eligibility for membership inthe District of Columbia Bar. Minimum seven years of legal experience, including sub-stantial work in the areas of educational law. Candidates must also possess detailedknowledge of federal and local laws applicable to faculty and employment matters, andjudicial and administrative agency systems and procedures. All applicants should sub-mit a cover letter and resume to: Howard University Office of the General Counsel,2400 Sixth Street, NW, Suite 321, Washington, DC 20059. Please put to the attentionof Marsha S. Culler; mculler@howard.edu. (202) 518-9132.

a cover letter and resume via email to careers@cohenmilstein.com. Please indicate“Civil Rights Associate” in the subject line.

Announcements

D.C. Courts Mark Hispanic Heritage Month

From the DC Bar’s Newsletter: starting on September 15, the District of Columbia Courtswill celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with various events in recognition of the contribu-tions of the Latino community to the District. The month–long observance culminateswith the presentation of the CORO (Community, Outreach, Recognition, and Opportuni-ty) Awards at the H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse. They include the Community AgencyAward, Community Outreach Award, Legal Community Award, Achievement Recogni-tion Award, and Allen Klein Special Recognition Award. For more information, contactDarryl Lesesne at 202-879-1783.

NBA Bi-weekly Newsletter on Voter Protection

Recognizing the importance of protecting everyone's right to vote, the NBA established

the Election Protection Task Force. Under the leadership of President John Page and

Election Protection Task Force Chairs Rozenia Cummings, Marty Dunn and Allison Ve-

lez Lane, the Task Force has partnered with the Election Protection Coalition in several

initiatives where our members will be able to attend training on informing the public on

new election laws, participate in legal field deployments on Election Day, become poll

watchers and serve as hotline call center volunteers on or before Election Day. We en-

courage all of our members to get involved, if you are interested please send an email

to ktignor@nationalbar.org. For a link to the latest edition of the newsletter, click here.