Mission Statement

The purpose of the sub-committee is to use the talents and abilities of our membership to educate the Workers' Compensation Section, including private law firms and businesses upon request, on diversity and inclusion issues; to develop strategies for the recruitment and retention of diverse individuals within the Workers' Compensation Section; and to engage in community outreach, in conjunction with other sub-committees.

The sub-committee will endeavor to develop a community outreach program which may include mentoring, education of students through classroom activities such as mock trial and shadowing programs.

The sub-committee will coordinate a minimum of one (1) community outreach program in the inaugural year for participation by the membership of the Workers' Compensation Section.

Members

The sub-committee shall consist of a maximum of five (5) members, one (1) of whom shall be designated as chair. The initial term of service shall be one (1) year with no limit on the number of terms the member may serve.

The members of the sub-committee shall consist of no fewer than two (2) diverse members. A diverse member is defined as racial and ethnic minorities, women, disabled individuals, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals.

The membership limitation of five (5) is subject to amendment upon a three fifths (3/5ths) vote of the initial membership.

Any new member must be approved by a three fifths (3/5ths) majority of the then existing membership.

Communication

The mode of communication and voting for this sub-committee shall be via e-mail or telephonically.

Meetings

The sub-committee shall meet as much or as little as deemed necessary by the chair to effectuate the purpose of the sub-committee. The executive board meeting will be attended by the chair of the sub-committee solely. If the sub-committee chair is unable to attend the executive board meeting then one member shall be designated to attend in said place.

Designation of mentoring, Shadowing and Classroom Activities

The designation of mentoring, shadowing and classroom activities chosen for participation by the Workers' Compensation Section will be determined by a three fifths (3/5ths) majority vote of the then existing membership of the sub-committee. The chair of the sub-committee will then present the mentoring, shadowing and classroom activities to full executive board for discussion and then approval by voting members of the Executive Board.

Scholarship Info:

What is it: A scholarship through the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion subcommittee of the Workers' Comp Section Philadelphia Bar for a deserving student to help with spring semester tuition.

Amount: The scholarship is for at least $5,000.00 to be paid to help with spring semester tuition. There will be one winner from a pool of all participating schools (This year will be Temple and Drexel).

Funding: The checks come in directly to the workers' comp section. We then issue the school a check directly. We are setting up a subaccount of our current account for all the checks to come into.

Applicants: can apply from Temple and Drexel. The applicants can be from any year of law school. All applications must answer the prompt with a 1-2 page response. A letter of recommendation from a professor (may be law school or undergrad) OR an Employer must accompany the application.

Criteria: All applications will be judged anonymously by the Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee members. The members will decide which essays most appropriately respond to the prompt and have an accompanying letter of recommendation indicating the applicant's deservedness for a scholarship that seeks to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. The subcommittee will choose the top 5 applicants and then pass those on to the Section's three co-chairs for final judging. The judges will vote on the winner- majority rule. If there is a disagreement with the co-chairs, the chairs of the DEI subcommittee will be asked to be the deciding vote.

Prompt: Please respond in a 1-2 page essay how you would use your life experience to enhance/promote the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion as an attorney in the Philadelphia Workers' Compensation community:

2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship Donors

• Berman Voss
• Cardamome Law, LLC
• Dickie, McCamey, Chilcote, P.C.
• Elias Mickle Kennedy, LLC
• The Law Office of Kaitlin Files, LLC
• Gross & Kenny, LLP
• HP Law, LLC
• The Law Office of Nathaniel Holmes, LLC
• Martin Law
• Morgan & Akins
• Schaff and Young, P.C.
• Stern & Cohen, P.C.
• Krasno Krasno & Onwudinjo
• Chartwell Law

Committee

Chair(s)

Christina M. Zern

THE LAW OFFICE OF CHRISTINA ZERN, LLC
100 South Juniper Street, 3rd Floor
Philadelphia, 19107
(215) 600-4037

Ms. Kile M. Sherman

AmTrust Financial Services
116 Village Boulevard
Suite 303
Princeton, 08540
(267) 751-4017

Members

Hon. Audrey E. Timm

Workers' Compensation Office of Adjudication
110 N. 8th Street
Suite 401
Philadelphia, 19107
215-965-3025

Joseph L. Ring

Ethen Ostroff Law
21 E. 5th Avenue
Suite 102
Conshohocken, 19428

Hon. Katherine R. Mutschler

Workers' Compensation Office of Adjudication
110 North Eighth Street
Suite 401
Philadelphia, 19107
2155602488

Chloe C. Murray

Stern & Cohen, P.C.
Two Commerce Square
2001 Market Street, Suite 3400
Philadelphia, 19103
(215) 999-1443

Hon. Francine Lincicome

Workers Compensation Office of Adjudication
110 N. 8th Street
Suite 401
Philadelphia, 19107
(215) 965-3027

Jenna Leigh King

Martin Law LLC
1818 Market Street
35th Floor
Philadelphia, 19103
(215) 587-8400

Kaitlin Files

The Law Office of Kaitlin Files LLC
2346 Trenton Ave
Suite E
Levittown, 19056
(215) 208-7598