November 4, 2020—Barclay Damon announces Lauren Wachtler, a partner in the law firm’s New York office, will be honored by the NYS Bar Association’s Commercial & Federal Litigation Section with its prestigious Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin Award for Excellence in the Courtroom.
The Scheindlin Award is named for Shira A. Scheindlin, US district judge (retired), College of Commercial Arbitrators fellow, and past chair of NYSBA’s Commercial & Federal Litigation Section. The section presents the award to women litigators who have distinguished themselves in the courtroom in federal and state courts in New York and have shown a commitment to mentoring young attorneys.
Wachtler’s award will be given in conjunction with NYSBA’s “Taking the Lead,” an annual event Wachtler chairs that is a reenactment of a civil trial showcasing courtroom best practices.
“I am so delighted that Lauren Wachtler, one of the very best and experienced female trial lawyers in New York State, has been selected to receive the Scheindlin Award for outstanding female litigators,” said Scheindlin. “I can think of no one more deserving of this award. She is an inspiration, role model, and mentor to all aspiring women litigators.”
“Lauren is a shining example of a Barclay Damon litigator and a professional woman in general,” said Connie Cahill, who will become Barclay Damon’s managing partner on January 1 and is past chair of the firm’s Women’s Forum. “This well-deserved honor highlights Lauren’s successful career and her ongoing willingness to continue to serve as a model for those coming up and those working alongside us in our profession.”
Wachtler is Barclay Damon’s second Scheindlin Award winner. Linda Clark, Health Care Controversies Team leader, received the honor in 2017.
“Shira Scheindlin set the bar high for women litigators throughout the country,” added Carol Snider, co-chair of Barclay Damon’s Women’s Forum. “As this award continues to be presented to the most effective and influential litigators, it will continue to bring awareness to the importance of women in the legal field. We’re so proud that first Linda and now Lauren have been both so effective and so honored.”
Wachtler is widely recognized for her work on commercial and business litigation matters and her successes for a wide range of clients in jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts throughout New York. She is a frequent speaker and writer on the subjects of trial advocacy and women in the courtroom and a co-author of the groundbreaking NYSBA Commercial & Federal Litigation Section report If Not Now When: Achieving Equality for Women Attorneys in the Courtroom and in ADR and the subsequent 2019 report The Time Is Now.
John Langan, Barclay Damon's managing partner, said, "As a firm that continues to focus on the talents and skills of its attorneys rather than on their gender, we consider this a big win for Barclay Damon and a well-deserved honor for Lauren.”
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.