Publications

Speeches and Seminars

  • Opening presentation by  Stephanie A. Scharf and Bobbi Liebenberg at Temple Law School exhibit “Lessons of Resilience and Courage from German Jewish Women Lawyers.” March 14, 2024
  • “Women, Motherhood and Careers in the Law,” ABA TIPS Women’s Affinity Group, August 21, 2023.
  • “Family or Career? Challenges and Solutions to Parenting in the Legal Profession.” Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, October 17, 2023
  • “Parenting and Legal Careers: What Do We know and What Are Next Steps?” Fordham University Women, October 13, 2023.
  • “Women’s Progress in the Legal Profession,” The Portia Project Podcast (Oct. 1, 2023)
  • “Gender in the Legal Profession: Where Do We Stand and What’s Next?” 2023 Federal Practice Institute hosted by U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, Concord, NH, September 29, 2023.
  • “The Impact of Parenting on Legal Careers,” SCG Legal Annual Conference, September 21, 2023, New Orleans.
  • “Women, Motherhood and Careers in the Law,” ABA TIPS Women’s Affinity Group, August 21, 2023.
  • “Is There a Penalty? Parenthood and Child Caregiving and its Impact on Gender Equality in the Legal Profession,” ABA Annual Meeting, August 5, 2023.
  • Chair, DirectWomen International Conference for Women Lawyers, “Unlocking the Secrets of International Board Opportunities”, June 29, 2023, London.
  • “Taking Charge of Your Career,” Workshop presentation to Women’s Forum, PLAC, April 26, Chicago.
  • “The Power of Partnering,” Toyota, February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance Speech, Judge Learned Hand Award, American Jewish Committee – Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, Feb. 22, 2023.
  • Acceptance Speech, Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award, Philadelphia Bar Association, June 21, 2022.
  • “Female Leadership in the Legal Profession,” Keynote Speaker, Northwestern Law Women’s Leadership Coalition (WLC), February 3, 2022.
  • “How to Achieve DEI in Law Firms Now,” Furia Rubel Podcast (November 2022)
  • “The New She/Cession,” Berkeley Research Group (BRG), November 17, 2021.
  • “The $250,000 Difference: What Does Gender Have to Do With It?,” Illinois State Bar Association, November 12, 2021.
  • “Practicing in the Pandemic: What We’re Learned and Strategies as We Move Forward,” Westlaw, November 4, 2021.
  • “A Discussion on Self-Advocacy,” LawLine DEI Summit 2, October 25, 2021.
    “Post-Pandemic Workplace: The Challenges Faced by Women,” Illinois State Bar Association, October 22, 2021.
  • “Women in Law,” Career Development Workshop, Defense Research Institute, October 13, 2021. Boston.
  • “Practice Forward for Law Students,” University of Miami, October 7, 2021.
  • “A Presentation on the Impact of the Pandemic on Women Globally, in the United States, and in the Legal Industry,” Kutak Rock LLP, October 6, 2021.
  • “Covid-19 and the Impact of Diversity and Inclusion in the Practice of Law, September 30, 2021.
  • “Women in Employment Law,” NAWL webinar, September 28, 2021. “Preventing Burnout and Stress,” AHN, September 28, 2021.
  • “Women of Color in the Law,” Practicising Law Institute (PLI)/ – Women Lawyers Leadership 2021. September 23, 2021.
  • “Mothers in the Law: Confronting the Challenges and Celebrating the Victories,” American Bar Association Commission on Women, September 22, 2021.
  • “Tips for Making the Transition Back to the Office Less Stressful,” SCG Legal, August 4, 2021.
  • “Motherhood and Caregiving Bias in the Legal Profession: Dismantling the Systemic Barriers to Entry,” ABA Commission on Women, July 28, 2021.
  • Acceptance Speech, Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award, Philadelphia Bar Association, June 21, 2022.
  • “Getting Board Ready: The Secrets to Landing a Board Seat and Being a Great Director,” Hosted jointly by Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel and Hospitality, August 2021.
  • Vision 2020, Seventh National Congress, Philadelphia, PA. June 15-16, 2021.
  • Chancellor’s Forum, Philadelphia Bar Association, “COVID-19’s Impact on the Legal Profession,” June 14, 2021.“
  • “Progressing Towards Partnership,” International Association of Young Lawyers, March 31, 2021.
  • Women Owned Law Virtual Symposium 2021 “Pivoting Forward Together, March 18, 2021.
  • Women Legal 2021 Conference “The Profound Impact of Covid-19 on Women in the Legal Profession,” March 11, 2021.
  • USC Women’s Conference, “The Impact of Covid-19 on Women and Work-Life Balance,” March 5, 2021.
  • “Women in the Law: Productive Teams in a Time of Disruption,” American Health Law Association Podcast, March 3, 2021.
  • “Women in the Law: Practice in the Pandemic and Beyond,” American Health Law Association Podcast, March 1, 2021.
  • Co-Chair, ABA World Forum for Women in the Law: “Women, Power and Disrupting the Status Quo,” Jan. 27-29, 2021.
  • “Antitrust and Diversity in the Plaintiffs’ Bar,” American Antitrust Institute Podcast, Nov. 3, 2020.
  • 2020 Corporate Counsel Symposium, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Oct. 6, 2020.
  • “How to Maintain Inclusivity For Law Firms In a Remote Environment,” Lawline Podcast, July 17, 2020.
  • “Diversity and Inclusion in the Time of Coronavirus,” Reed Smith webinar, May 28, 2020.
  • “Racism in America – A Courageous Conversation on Race and Privilege,” Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, August 22, 2020.
  • “Attrition of Senior Women Attorneys,” National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, 2020 Summit, July 31, 2020.
  • “Why Women Leave: The Law Firm Gender Gap and How to Close It,” Burford Capital Webinar, March 23, 2020.
  • “Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women in Law,” Ark 2020 Women Legal Summit, San Diego, CA, February 25, 2020.
  • Max M. Shapiro Lecture, Boston University School of Law, Boston, MA, February 13, 2020.
  • Ascent Leadership Network National Retreat, Faculty, January 2020.
  • “Fireside Chat on Legal Practice: What Will Change and What Will Be the Same,” SCG Legal (For the Americas), December 9, 2020. Webinar.
  • “Fireside Chat on Legal Practice: What Will Change and What Will Be the Same,” SCG Legal (For Europe), December 1, 2020. Webinar.
  • “A Conversation for Women Law and Their Firms Foundation for Success Now and Moving Forward,” SCG Legal, November 18, 2020. Webinar, with Roberta D. Liebenberg and Lisa A. Borsook.
  • “The New Normal of Global Corporate Board Membership,” Webcast, DirectWomen, November 17, 2020.
  • “Report on the Progress of Women in the Law” NAWL General Counsel Institute, Webcast, November 12, 2020.
  • “Women in the Law: What New Research Tells Us About Achieving Meaningful Gender Diversity, November 10, 2020. With Roberta D. Liebenberg and Pauletta Brown.
  • “Alliance for Women Speaking Initiative,” Chicago Bar Association, Webinar, October 27, 2020.
  • “The Pandemic and Women in the Law Planning for Success as We Move Forward,” Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., October 22, 2020. Webinar, with Roberta D. Liebenberg and Pauletta Brown.
  • “The Pandemic’s Outsize Impact on Women: Keeping Your Career On Track During Unprecedented Times,” The Catholic University of America, October 7, 2020. Webinar, with Roberta D. Liebenberg and Paulette Brown.
  • “The Pandemic’s Outsize Impact on Women: Keeping Your Career On Track During Unprecedented Times,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, October 6, 2020. Webinar, with Roberta D. Liebenberg and Paulette Brown.
  • “The Pandemic’s Outsize Impact on Women: Keeping Your Career On Track During Unprecedented Times,” National Association of Women Lawyers, September 30, 2020. Webinar, with Roberta D. Liebenberg.
  • “Current Status of Women in the Legal Profession,” 2nd Circuit Conference on Women in the Law, New York, NY, September 25, 2020. Webinar.
  • “Where Are We Now and Where Do We Go from Here?” NCWBA, Chicago, IL, July 31, 2020. Webinar, with Roberta D. Liebenberg.
  • “How to Maintain Inclusivity for Law Firms in a Remote Environment,” LawLine, New York, NY, July 17, 2020, with Roberta Liebenberg and Paulette Brown.
  • “Making a Short Story Longer: Strategies for Building Legal Careers for Women,” Webcast, American Law Institute, June 18, 2020.
  • “Study Women and the Business of Law,” New Jersey State Bar Association, New Jersey, May 15, 2020. Webcast.
  • “Law Firm Gender Gap,” ALM, Webcast, Chicago, IL, March 6, 2020.
  • National Organization of Bar Counsel, Mid-Year Meeting (Feb 2020)
  • ABA Commission on Interest Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA), Mid-Year Meeting (Feb 2020)
  • Illinois State Bar Association, Leadership Academy (Feb 2020)
  • Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations (Dec 2019)
  • Northwestern University Division of Student Affairs, Diversity & Inclusion Institute (Dec 2018, 2019)
  • Village of Arlington Heights (IL)/Illinois Commission on Diversity & Human Relations (Dec 2019)
  • Porter Hedges LLP (Nov 2019)
  • 2019 Canada Conference in Toronto, November 21, 2019
  • Fifth Annual Conference in Monterrey, NLE, October 3, 2019
  • Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (Sept 2019)
  • NAACP LDF/NYU Law Symposium on Race & Ethnicity for Defense Lawyers (Sept 2018, 2019)
  • Cook County (IL) Public Defender (Aug 2019)
  • Cook County (IL) State’s Attorney (June 2019)
  • Chicago Bar Association, Committee for Professional Responsibility (Jan 2019)
  • “Walking Out the Door:  Why Are Women More Likely Than Men to Leave Law?”  Lawyer2Laywer Podcast, December 19, 2019.
  • “Long Term Careers for Women in the Law.” Federal Bar Association of the Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, September 17, 2019.
  • “Guided Conversations: This Talk Isn’t Cheap, ”  American Bar Association, New York, NY, September 12, 2019.
  • “Growth Mindset: Resilience, Grit and Risk-Taking,” Pfizer Leadership Summit on Women in the Law, New York, NY, May 8, 2019.
  • “Breaking into the Boardroom: The Pathways and the Process,” DirectWomen, Chicago, IL, April, 2019.
  • “ABA Initiative on Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women in the Law,” Shearman & Sterling, New York, NY, February, 2019.
  • “Interacting with the Board of Directors,” Hispanic National Bar Association “Poder 25,” Panel moderator and participant, September 2019.
  • “Unplanned CEO Succession,” Black GC 2025 Initiative, Facilitator, September 2019.
  • “Leading a Modern Global Law Department,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Executive Leadership Institute, August 2019.
  • George Mason University Commencement Address, December 2019.
  • “Civility, Diversity and Inclusion: the Cornerstone of Innovation,” Scalia Law School, Orientation speaker, 2019.
  • “Advancement and Retention of Women in the Legal Profession,” Allegheny County Bar Association Women in the Law Division, Aug. 27, 2019, Pittsburgh, P
  • “Beyond the Numbers: Sidebar on the 2019 ABA Profile of the Legal Profession,” ABA Annual Meeting, August 10, 2019, San Francisco
  • “Where Have All the Senior Women Gone?”, Pennsylvania Bar Association Annual Meeting, Lancaster, PA, May 15, 2019
  • 2019 Women’s Power Summit on Law & Leadership, “Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women in Law,” Austin, Texas, April 10, 2019
  • JD Annual Conference on Women in the Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, PA, March 15, 2019
  • “Leaders in the Courtroom: From the Trial Courts to the United States Supreme Court,” Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, Philadelphia, PA, March 7, 2019
  • “Long-Term Careers for Women in Law: What’s Pushing Women Out and What Can We Do To Keep Them In The Profession,” ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL., Aug. 3, 2018
  • “Women in Law: On the Front Lines of Change,” Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2018,
  • “Driving Diversity in the Legal Profession,” Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, May 9, 2018,
  • Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Employment Law Institute (Jan 2019)
  • University of Illinois Chicago, Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy (Feb 2018)
  • Diversity and Inclusion Education Conference, Scalia Law School, Keynote Speaker, 2018.
  • “The Evolving Role of the Law Department in the Modern Corporation and Legal Industry,” Northwestern Law, Guest Lecturer, 2014-2018.
  • “Law Firm Perspectives on Diversity and Inclusion,” George Mason University/Antonin Scalia Law School, Arlington, VA, November 2018.
  • Fourth Annual Conference in Monterrey, NLE, November 15, 2018
  • Fourth Annual Conference in Mexico City, November 14, 2018
  • “Our Greatest Resource: Each Other,” Crew Lehigh Valley 2018 Annual Legacy Event, Bethlehem, PA, October 2018.
  • “Bias 2018, Workplace Harassment – You’ve Read About This in the News?…#MeToo,” McDonalds, Chicago, IL, September 2018.
  • ABA National Summits on Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women in Law, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, November 8, 2017 and Northwestern Law School, Chicago, IL, June 28, 2018
  • “A Current Glance at Women in Law,” ABA Section of International Law Annual Conference, New York, NY, April 2018.
  • “George Boyer Vashon Lecture,” Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia, PA, April 2018.
  • “May It Please the Court,” Symposium at the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, April 2018.
  • “Blackademia, Part I”, WURD Educational Series, 2018.
  • “Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women in the Law,” Women, Influence and Power in the Law Conference, Washington, D.C., October 2017.
  • Third Annual Conference in Mexico City, September 27, 2017
  • Third Annual Conference in Monterrey, NLE, September 26, 2017
  • “Women Lawyers in the Courtroom,” Boston, MA, June 7, 2017.
  • Northeastern University School of Law’s “Women in the Law Conference,” “Unlocking the Mysteries of the ‘New Girl’ Network,” Boston, MA, May 19, 2017
  • Gender Pay Equity, PBI Annual Employment Law Institute, Philadelphia, PA, April 27, 2017
  • “Addressing Gender Bias and Advancement and Retention of Women in Law Firms, the Profession, and the Courts,” New Jersey State Bar Association, Atlantic City, NJ, May 17, 2017.
  • “Surveys on Women Lawyers as Lead Counsel and Trial Counsel in Complex Litigation,” Center for Women in Law Conference, Houston, TX, February 23, 2017.
  • American Bar Foundation, Research Series (Mar 2017)
  • University of Florida Levin College of Law, Faculty Workshop (Mar 2017)
  • Northwestern University Institute for Policy Research, Speaker Series (Feb 2017)
  • Black Women Lawyer Association, Annual Meeting (Mar 2017)
  • “Grit and Growth Mindset:  Two Traits of Successful Women Lawyers,” The Maryland Association for Justice, Baltimore, MD, March 17, 2017
  • “The Wage Gap, Women & Negotiation,” Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, May 25, 2016
  • Keynote Address, Third Annual Leadership Summit, Miami Dade Women’s Bar Association, Miami, FL, May 19, 2016
  • Symposium, “Women Lawyers in the Courtroom,” U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Chicago, IL, April 21, 2016
  • “First Chair: How to Get the Prime Seat at Counsel Table,” Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia, PA, March 29, 2016
  • Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Law Enforcement Training (Apr, Aug, Oct 2016)
  • Chicago Foundation of Women (Oct 2016)
  • Northwestern University Police Department (Aug 2016)
  • Seventh Circuit Bar Association Annual Meeting (May 2016)
  • Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic (Feb 2016)
  • Case Western Reserve University Law School, Faculty Workshop (Nov 2016)
  • Duke University Law School, Law, Economics, and Politics Seminar (Nov 2016)
  • Duke University Law School, Culp Colloquium (May 2016)
  • University of Pennsylvania Law School, Law, Economics and Psychology Seminar (Mar 2016)
  • John Marshall Law School, Faculty Scholarship Roundtable Series (Feb 2016)
  • “First Chairs at Trial: More Women Need Seats at the Table,” American Bar Association Webinar, November 2016.
  • Inaugural Canada Conference in Toronto, November 21, 2016
  • Second Annual Mexico Conference in Mexico City, October 5, 2016
  • Second Annual Mexico Conference in Monterrey, NLE, October 4, 2016
  • “Rainmakers: Born or Bred?,” Women Legal 2016, Chicago, IL, May 19, 2016.
  • “Women Lawyers in the Courtroom,” The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Bar Association, Chicago, IL, April 21, 2016.
  • “Presenting to Diverse Audiences”, Oregon State Bar Association, 2016. Also presented as “Edward D. Ohlbaum Lecture” to Philadelphia Trial Lawyers” Association, 2016.
  • “The Components of Justice in the U.S.” at the Burlington, NJ Vicinage’s Diversity Week Celebration, Burlington, NJ, 2015.
  • Littler Global Mexico Conference in Mexico City, November 11, 2015
  • Littler Global Mexico Conference in Monterrey, NLE, November 10, 2015
  • “You Hit Like a Girl: Overcoming the Challenge of Unconscious Bias.” American Bar Association/Section of Litigation, Chicago, Illinois, November 2015.
  • “Breaking into the Boardroom: The Pathways and The  Process,” DirectWomen, Chicago, Illinois, November 17, 2015.
  • “Women as Leaders in Law: Where Are We Now,“ Phillip Corboy Law Center, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL, September 25, 2015.
  • “Women as Lead Counsel at Trial: What You Can Do to Take the Lead,” ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 1, 2015
  • Ark Group, “Women Legal 2015 Conference,” “Breaking into the Boardroom: It’s Time,” New York, NY, May 19, 2015
  • Northeastern University School of Law’s “Women in the Law Conference,” “Bridging the Gender Pay Gap in Law,” Boston, MA, May 15, 2015
  • Bar Ass’n. “Grit, Resilience and Taking Charge: Building Blocks for Success,” Philadelphia, PA, May 7, 2015
  • 2015 Women’s Power Summit on Law & Leadership, “Increasing Diversity in Court Appointments,” Austin, TX, April 16, 2015
  • “Opportunities for Women in Education and Law,” Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC, February 23, 2015
  • “Women as Lead Counsel at Trial: What You Can Do to Take the Lead,” American Bar Association, Chicago, IL, August 1, 2015.
  • “Negotiating Scenarios for Women Lawyers,” Thompson Reuters Conference, Chicago, IL, May 28, 2015.
  • “Solutions and Best Practices for Diversity in the Legal Profession,” Diversity Summit/Missouri Bar Association,  St. Louis, MO, May 20, 2015.
  • “Defining a Successful Women’s initiative,” National Association of Women Lawyers, West Point, NY, May 1, 2015.
  • “Negotiating Your Own Compensation: It’s Not About the Money,” American Bar Association, Chicago, IL, February 17, 2015.
  • Chicago Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights/Seventh Circuit Bar Association (Oct 2015)
  • Women in Housing and Finance – 35 year Anniversary Gala Speaker and Honoree, 2015.
  • “Renewing the Search for the Faces at the Bottom of the Well”, Summit at UC Irvine School of Law, “Does the Institution have a Role in Fostering Success for Students of Color and more specifically for African-American students?” (Panelist), 2014.
  • “The Importance of Oral Advocacy”, Martin Luther King Day of Service, Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School, 2014.
  • “The Persistent Challenges of Achieving Diversity” at the Pennsylvania Diversity Council, 5th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference, 2014.
  • “The Role of Women’s Initiatives in Advancing Women Lawyers,” National Association of Women Lawyers Webinar, April 2013.
  • “Capture Your Power: Your Role in Advancing Yourself and Other Women in the Legal Profession,” American Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois, March 2013.
  • “Breaking the Class Ceiling,” New York University School of Law Symposium, March 2013.
  • “Results of the First National Survey of Women’s Initiatives,” National Association of Women Lawyers Annual Meeting, New York, New York, July 2012.
  • “Cracking the Code: Everything You Should Have Learned in Kindergarten (But Didn’t)” at Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, American Council on Education Women in Higher Education Network Meeting (Keynote Speaker), 2012.
  • “Flex Time Work Policies,” Walmart Conference, Bentonville, AR, June 2010.
  • “What Am I Worth? Attorney Compensation and Law Firm Billing in the New World Order,” Duff & Phelps CLE seminar, Chicago, Illinois, June 2010.
  • “What Should You Do? Lessons Learned and Lessons to Be Learned About Business Development,” Women Lawyers Alliance Inaugural Member Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, May 2010.
  • “Women in the Profession: Where We Were, Where We Are, Where We Should Be,” Ohio Women Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, Dayton, Ohio, May 2010.
  • “Your Role in Advancing Women in the Legal Profession”, Regional Summit for Women in-House Counsel, Capture your Power – (co-sponsored by the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession and DELVACCA) (Introductory Remarks), 2010.
  • U.S. Attorney’s Office: Black History Month (Keynote Speaker) (2010)
  • “National Association of Women Lawyers Annual Survey on the Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms,” American Bar Association on Women in the Profession, July 2009.
  • “Managing Diversity Expectations Between In-House and Outside Counsel,” Martindale-Hubbell and Lexis Nexis, Washington, DC, April 2009.
  • “The Future of Corporate Governance Following the Economic Crisis,” Brennan School of Business, Dominican University Forum on Corporate Governance, March 31, 2009.
  • “Is Executive Compensation Really the Problem and Will Government Bailouts be the Cure?” Chicago Finance Exchange, March 2009.
  • “War Stories: Lessons Learned from Tough Encounters,” Institutional Investor Board/CFO Symposium, Washington, D.C., September 2008.
  • “How to Keep Your CEO – and Yourself – Out of Prison,” 20th Annual General Counsel Conference, New York, June 2008.
  • “The Changing Compliance & Legal Landscape,” Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Compliance & Legal Division, Chicago Regional Seminar, June 2008.
  • “Debating the Merits of Prudential Supervision”, The Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Center on Corporate Governance, SIFMA Compliance and Legal Division, New York, April 2008.
  • “SOX and the Capital Markets,” University of Maryland School of Law, Sixth Annual Business Law Conference, October 2007.
  • “New Recommendations: US Capital Markets and Corporate Reforms,” ABA Section of Business Law, Spring Meeting, March 2007.
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