We Object! The Successes and Struggles of Female Attorneys

CLEVELAND: A panel of four successful female law partners discuss several issues relevant to the advancement of women in the legal profession, both nationally and in the Cleveland area, at noon on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, at The City Club of Cleveland.

According to the ABA Commission on Women, one half of law school entrants are women, but only 16% of major law firm partners are women. Women lawyers working full time make 76% of the earnings of their male counterparts. Despite these dismal statistics, four female law partners have achieved success as prominent attorneys in Cleveland’s competitive legal market.

·         Linda Bluso of Brouse McDowell – Cleveland’s only female managing partner of a large law firm

·         Anna Carulas – Manages the medical defense litigation department for all six of Roetzel & Andress’ Ohio offices

·         Inajo Davis Chappell of Ulmer & Berne – New member of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

·         Karen Giffen – Along with Kerin Kaminski, founded the women-owned business litigation firm Giffen & Kaminski

How do they balance career objectives while maintaining a healthy family life? What is the cause of the disparity between the number of female law students and the number of female law firm partners? How can firms retain and advance female associates? What is the potential role of a female partner as an advocate for women’s issues?

This special program is organized by The City Club New Leaders in partnership with Women in the Law Section of the Cleveland Bar Association. New Leaders develop significant opportunities for civic involvement and freedom of speech among young professionals under the age of 40.

Tickets can be purchased by calling The City Club at 216.621.0082 or visiting the website at www.cityclub.org.

Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates: Can They Be Reduced?

CLEVELAND: John A. Bastulli, M.D., vice president of legislative affairs at the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio (AMCNO), and Peter H. Weinberger, managing partner at the law firm of Spangenberg, Shibley, & Liber LLP, will debate and give an update on the impact, if any, several recent state bills have had on insurance rates in Ohio at noon on Wednesday, August 22, 2007, at The City Club.

It has been four years since SB 281 established caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases in Ohio. Many hoped that the new law would lower malpractice insurance rates by reducing the size of settlements in these cases.

In 2006, SB 88 established a 10-year pilot program mandating arbitration for claims of medical negligence, and this year a new bill (SB 59), if passed, would require a pilot program in seven counties, including Cuyahoga, to establish mandatory non-binding arbitration for malpractice cases. These cases would be heard by a three-person panel that would determine if there has been negligence. Either party to the case could then pursue a jury trial if the result is unacceptable.

Why has this new bill been recommended only four years after SB 281 became law, and how would it work? Who would be the likely beneficiaries of such a system? And what has been the result of SB 281? Have insurance companies lowered rates, and has the “malpractice insurance crisis” in Ohio been abated?

Tickets for this program are $15 for City Club members and $25 for non-members. Lunch is included. They can be purchased by calling The City Club at 216.621.0082 or visiting the website at www.cityclub.org.

Crisis in the Healthcare Industry: Recruiting an Adequate Workforce in Northeast Ohio
CLEVELAND: CEOs of major local health systems—Dr. Toby Cosgrove of the Cleveland Clinic, Tom Straus of Summa Health System, and John Sideras of MetroHealth System—and members of the Northeast Ohio Health, Science and Innovation Coalition (NOHSIC) comment on the need for a robust workforce and regional cooperation to strengthen the local economy and grow the health care industry on Thursday, August 23, 2007, at The City Club of Cleveland. Lt. Governor Lee Fisher will serve as moderator. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Program begins promptly at 12:10 p.m.

While manufacturing jobs in Northeast Ohio are on the decline, healthcare employment steadily rises. According to University of Cincinnati College of Business Economics Center for Education & Research, hospitals in Northeast Ohio spend $7.2 billion, employ more than 70,000 workers, are among counties’ largest employers, and pay $3.6 billion in wages and benefits.

The local healthcare industry is now faced with a crisis: a severe shortage in healthcare workers. This shortage threatens the industry’s ability to maximize the regional resources that can position Northeast Ohio as a nationally recognized center of healthcare excellence.

In order to implement solutions to the severe healthcare worker shortage, the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth System, Southwest General, Louis Stokes VA, and Summa Health System have formed NOHSIC. Its mission is to build a sustainable system that effectively aligns employer and public/private sector resources for the development, recruitment, and retention of a skilled healthcare workforce. Representatives Gayle Agahi, Augie Napoli, Holly Reilly, Daniel Lewis, and Quentin McCorvey will give details on the work of the coalition.

Tickets for this City Club Special Forum are $18 for members and $30 for non-members. Lunch is included. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance of the event. They can be purchased by calling The City Club at 216.621.0082 or visiting the website at www.cityclub.org.