Articles Tagged with Diversity

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Tianna Kalogerakis, Associate at Kang Haggerty

It takes time for a new attorney to gain the experience necessary to be competent on specific areas of law.  Once new attorneys gain that experience, often they are the least senior voice on a given topic and public speaking opportunities are afforded to more tenured attorneys with expertise.

A lack of expertise on a subject matter does not however, preclude newer attorneys from participating in public speaking events.  Namely, newer or junior attorneys need not be experts to competently moderate a panel discussion or publicly interview an expert on a given subject area, and these opportunities can raise the profile of a newer attorney.  These opportunities are of particular significance for minorities who are often underrepresented in the legal profession.  Seasoned attorneys who are mentors or sponsors to junior attorneys should seek to “place” their mentees in these moderator or interviewer roles to increase a group’s recognition of the new attorney as these roles often are accompanied by promotional materials or articles summarizing the event and can be featured on the junior associate’s profile.

I have twice had the opportunity to moderate panel discussions; once as a member of the Temple Law Alumni Women’s Leadership Initiative, and a second time at the 2019 Philly SHRM Symposium.  Both times, these opportunities were presented to me through my longtime sponsor and friend Sheryl Axelrod, Esquire who is a diversity expert. Continue reading ›

In the December 11, 2018 edition of The Legal Intelligencer, Tianna K. Kalogerakis, Associate of Kang Haggerty authored “Pa. Law Firms Must Learn From the Past to Improve Diversity in the Future.”

A mere four years after The Legal Intelligencer’s founding in 1843, the story of blacks seeking admission to the legal profession in Pennsylvania began. Despite nearly 175 years of black Pennsylvania lawyers overcoming obstacles to entry of the legal profession, institutional barriers persist, leaving blacks and other minorities in the state still in search of meaningful access in the legal profession. In 2018, law firms that are not intentional about cultivating diversity may be unintentionally discriminating against diverse candidates.

To tell the story of diversity in the legal profession—specifically when discussing the black lawyer—one must first acknowledge the role of slavery in America. People of color were held in bondage for decades against their will and the ownership of humans by other humans was sanctioned by the laws of this country. Enslavement and discrimination of individuals based on their skin color was codified into our federal and state systems of government and dictated the daily interactions of individuals. These codifications and the resulting caste system became the foundations of the institutional barriers minorities continue to face today. Continue reading ›

Kang Haggerty associate Tianna Kalogerakis was recently named to the Philadelphia Tribune’s annual “Philadelphia’s Most Influential African Americans” list. The Tribune, the nation’s oldest and greater Philadelphia’s largest newspaper serving the African-American community, honored this year’s recipients during a reception and awards program at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Kalogerakis was also featured in New Phila. Barristers’ President Stresses Legacy, Community Service, in ALM’s The Legal Intelligencer. In an extensive Q&A with reporter Max Mitchell, the newly-elected Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia president discusses the balancing act between heading the 1,000-member strong bar association and transitioning from judicial clerk to litigation boutique attorney at Kang Haggerty LLC.

Philadelphia, PA (September 12, 2018): Kang Haggerty LLC is pleased to announce that attorney Tianna K. Kalogerakis was installed today as President of the Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, Inc. The installation ceremony was held at Philadelphia City Hall and presided over by the President Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

TKK-Head-Shot-2018-e1525812187807-300x300“It is an honor to serve as President of this important organization,” said Ms. Kalogerakis. “This is a critical time to ensure that our members are not only properly represented in the legal community, but also to ensure that the Barristers’ Association is able to provide the resources, services and networks to our members and to the greater Philadelphia community. As a lawyer of color and a woman in the profession, I believe that the organization helps us be the best attorneys possible and amplifies our positive impact.”

Ms. Kalogerakis has been an active member of the Barristers’ Association since 2013, previously holding positions as President-Elect, Vice President of Administration, Chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Memorial Breakfast, Corresponding Secretary, and Young Lawyers’ Division Executive Committee Liaison.

Edward T. Kang, EsquireIn the June 22, 2017 edition of The Legal Intelligencer, Kang Haggerty Managing Member Edward T. Kang writes on How to Effectively Work With Millennials as Employees and Clients.

How to Effectively Work With Millennials as Employees and Clients

By Edward T. Kang

Kang Haggerty founding member Jacklyn Fetbroyt was invited to participate in The Legal Intelligencer’s Women in the Profession Roundtable, featured in the publication’s November 2016 “Top Women in Law” special supplement.

The roundtable, moderated by Morgan Lewis chair Jami McKeon, addressed issues that included recruitment and retention of female lawyers, gender equality issues, work-life balance and challenges facing women at law firms today.

The editorial staff of The Legal has always been aware that the hiring and retention of female attorneys is an ongoing issue in the legal community. In an effort to discuss some of the specific problems facing female attorneys and present potential solutions to those problems, we invited 11 practitioners to talk about how to bolster the role of women in the law. This year the panelists tackled issues such as work-life balance, equal pay and the lack of positive change and opportunities for women in the legal profession.

In the September 2016 edition of the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Today (LPT), Kang Haggerty’s Edward T. Kang authors the Diversity & Inclusion column, Diversity and Its Impact on the Legal Profession.

LPT, a monthly online publication of the ABA’s Law Practice Division, is distributed to nearly 500,000 lawyers and law students across the globe each month. Current and past issues can be accessed at www.lawpracticetoday.com.

Kang Haggerty founding member Jacklyn Fetbroyt was selected to participate in a Women in the Profession Roundtable discussion that took place at the American Lawyer Media offices in Philadelphia. The conversation will be published in an upcoming Woman in the Profession supplement in The Legal Intelligencer. Among the issues discussed were recruitment and retention of female lawyers, gender equality issues, work-life balance and challenges facing women at law firms today. The roundtable was moderated by Jami McKeon, Chair of Morgan Lewis.

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