November 8, 2022—Barclay Damon announces Lauren Wachtler, a partner in the firm’s New York City office, will be honored by the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial & Federal Litigation Section with its prestigious Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin Award for Excellence in the Courtroom. Wachtler’s father, the Hon. Sol Wachtler, former chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, will present her with the award.
The Scheindlin Award was created to honor the Commercial & Federal Litigation Section’s former chair, Shira A. Scheindlin, who is also a former US district judge for the Southern District of New York. The section presents the award annually in November, on or around the date when women received the right to vote in New York State—November 6, 1917. The award is given to women litigators who have distinguished themselves in the courtroom in the federal and state courts in New York and have shown a commitment to mentoring young attorneys.
The award will be presented in conjunction with Taking the Lead 2022: Winning Strategies and Techniques for Commercial Cases, an annual program Wachtler chairs that includes a reenactment of a civil trial showcasing courtroom best practices.
“I extend my sincerest congratulations to Lauren for being selected to receive the Scheindlin Award. Her commitment to the legal profession and mentoring young women attorneys is truly inspiring and continues to grow year after year,” said Scheindlin. “Women litigators still face adversity in the courtroom; however, Lauren’s work will hopefully pave the way for future generations of women litigators.”
“It is a true honor to receive the Scheindlin Award,” said Wachtler. “Judge Scheindlin was a gifted jurist and continues to be a role model for women in our profession.”
The award ceremony was postponed due to the pandemic and safety concerns during the past two years. Linda Clark, a firm partner and Health Care Controversies Team leader, received the award in 2017.
Connie Cahill, the firm’s managing partner, said, “Seeing our women attorneys receive great honors such as the Scheindlin Award is a boon for Barclay Damon. Fostering a supportive environment in which our women attorneys can grow and flourish is a key element of the firm’s greater diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, and it is evident that Lauren not only has been able to take advantage of this environment but also to be instrumental in its continued success.”
“Lauren is a fantastic mentor and an important member of the Women’s Forum,” said Carol Snider, co-chair of Barclay Damon’s Women’s Forum. “She puts in a great deal of effort to help our younger women attorneys develop their own practice while also stressing the importance of work-life balance.” Courtney Merriman, co-chair of the Women’s Forum, added, “Lauren understands that the greatest attorneys serve their clients more effectively when their own cup is full. Judge Scheindlin has demonstrated this concept in her own life, and Lauren is following suit.”
Wachtler concentrates her practice on commercial and business litigation matters and has successfully represented clients in a wide range of jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts throughout New York and New Jersey. She frequently speaks on topics relating to women’s equality in the legal profession as well as engaging and educating young attorneys. Wachtler is the co-author of the groundbreaking NYSBA Commercial and Federal Litigation Section report If Not Now When: Achieving Equality for Women Attorneys in the Courtroom and in ADR and the subsequent report The Time Is Now.
Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. With nearly 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices located in the Northeastern United States and Toronto. For more information, visit our award-winning website at barclaydamon.com.