Super Lawyers, a nationally recognized rating service of outstanding lawyers in more than 70 -practice areas,  has announced its Super Lawyers and Rising Star designees for 2023, and F&P is proud to announce that 17 of our attorneys have received this honor. Candidates are selected through peer review, professional competence, and attorney-led research staff. Each attorney is assessed on 12 indications of peer recognition and professional achievement. Rising Star qualifications include practicing for ten years or less and under 40. The Super Lawyers are comprised of the top 5% of attorneys in each state and Rising Stars 2.5%.

 

Super Lawyers

Angela Garcia Kozlowski

John Handscomb

Laura McKenzie

Maija Jackson

Michael Prokopik

Tamara Goorevitz

William “Skip” Crawford

 

Rising Stars

April Kerns

Bryce Ziskind

Ellen Stewart

Heather Rice

Kara Parker

Matthew LaFontaine

Michael Bennett

Miranda Russell

Patrick Wachter

Renee Bowen

A three-judge panel of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals affirmed the Superior Court of the District of Columbia’s grant of summary judgment to Harris Teeter. Harris Teeter was sued by a customer who allegedly slipped on a liquid substance on the floor near a produce bin. The customer contended that there was seepage on the floor from overripe vegetables, but this was mere conjecture. The customer admittedly did not know what the alleged substance was, when it came to be on the floor, or how it came to be on the floor. After the discovery, Harris Teeter moved for summary judgment because the customer had not adduced any evidence that Harris Teeter had actual or constructive notice of any alleged substance. The Superior Court granted the motion and entered judgment in favor of Harris Teeter because there was no evidence that Harris Teeter caused the alleged substance to be on the floor, nor was there any evidence that Harris Teeter knew or should have known that an alleged substance was on the floor. The customer appealed the grant of summary judgment. The Court of Appeals agreed with the Superior Court’s analysis and affirmed the grant of summary judgment.  Ellen R. Stewart represented Harris Teeter throughout the proceedings. The case is Patricia Sneed v. Harris Teeter, LLC, 21-CV-397 (decided August 2, 2022, Per Curiam, unpublished).

Written by counsel Ellen R.Stewart.

Franklin & Prokopik continues to make significant strides in gender equality, securing a national ranking on Law360’s annual “Glass Ceiling Report”.  The firm ranked 13th (a jump from 16th last year) for firms employing 100 or fewer attorneys.  This was in part due to our female representation highly exceeding the national average at both the equity and non-equity partner levels. In the equity partner category, F&P sits at 38.5%, and at 77.8% for non-equity partners, compared to less than a quarter of equity partners and 27% of non-equity partners at comparable firms nationwide. In addition, 22% of all the firm’s attorneys are female associates.

The methodology behind this year’s rankings (a redesign of the Glass Ceiling Report) shows how the percentage of women across the three attorney levels compares with the field of new hires. Law360 revised its methodology in response to the pandemic’s effect on female attorneys.  Women now comprise more than half of enrolled law school students. Despite this, female attorneys are still not achieving equity partner status or sitting on executive committees.

F&P strives to focus on hiring and promoting a diverse workforce and appreciates Law360 for recognizing the firm’s efforts to close the gender gap.

Please note, the data collected by Law360 was as of December 31, 2021.  F&P had multiple female promotions that went into effect on January 1, 2022, which will be reflected in next year’s report.   

Links to the complete articles can be found below (Law360 subscription required.)

https://www.law360.com/pulse/articles/1517070

https://www.law360.com/articles/1517878/the-2022-glass-ceiling-report-women-in-law