(Memphis, TN/July 9, 2012) Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has recognized Jill M. Steinberg with the Firm's 2012 Susan E. Rich Award for excellence in the promotion of and commitment to women in the legal profession.
A shareholder in the Firm's Memphis office, Ms. Steinberg served as the first leader of Baker Donelson's Women's Initiative Steering Committee and was instrumental in founding the Baker Donelson Women's Initiative. Launched in 2005, the Women's Initiative was formed to substantially improve the recruitment and retention of women attorneys, increase the representation of women in leadership positions at Baker Donelson, heed the call of clients to provide a more diversified attorney team and improve career development for the Firm's female attorneys.
"Jill has successfully and productively balanced family and career, and she is considered one of the strongest advocates for the advancement of women in the Firm," said Baker Donelson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ben C. Adams. "As founder and current executive committee member of our Women's Initiative, she has contributed significantly to the advancement of female attorneys at our Firm and has guided Baker Donelson to its position as a leading law firm for women."
Baker Donelson has been ranked in the "Top 100 Law Firms For Women" by Multicultural Law magazine every year since 2008.
Ms. Steinberg concentrates her practice in litigation, with significant experience in medical malpractice, nursing home liability, products liability, premises liability, automobile liability and toxic tort. She is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Ms. Steinberg has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® as a leading attorney in Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation. She has also been recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers, in which she has been ranked among the top 50 attorneys in Memphis since 2006, the top 100 attorneys in Tennessee since 2007 and the top 50 female attorneys in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee in 2011.
Baker Donelson established the Susan E. Rich award in honor of Susan Elliot Rich, a shareholder in the Firm's Chattanooga, Tennessee office, who was the Firm's first woman shareholder, the first woman to be appointed an office managing shareholder and the first woman appointed to the Firm's board of directors. This award is given annually to a recipient who exemplifies ongoing commitment and effort to strengthen the role of women attorneys at the Firm.
Additional information on the Firm's Women's Initiative is available at http://www.bakerdonelson.com/womens-initiative/ .