Lori Miller of Goldberg, Miller & Rubin.

Lori Miller was the first female partner at Philadelphia litigation boutique Goldberg, Miller & Rubin, and now she is the first CEO in the firm's 34-year history.

In announcing the leadership change, the firm credited Miller with a rebranding effort and growth from 15 to 32 attorneys, almost half of whom are women. That growth led to the need for a new leadership structure, in which two managing partners and a chief operating officer report to the CEO.

“Especially in this time period, this culture right now, I'm just really proud to represent this firm and the women in this firm,” Miller said.

Miller's first act as CEO was naming partner Dana Koos managing partner for the firm's New York office. Jason Rubin is managing partner of the Philadelphia office.

Retaining female lawyers has become a priority at Goldberg Miller, Miller said, leading to changes taking place since she was a young lawyer. She recalled that when she was starting a family, she asked firm leadership if she could work from home one day a week—in the 1990s, with 1990s technology. The answer was yes, but she was required to take a pay cut while continuing to bill the same number of hours other lawyers did.

“I didn't think it was quite fair back then, but it was the only thing I knew, and I got to accomplish what I was looking for,” Miller said.

She said the firm now allows a variety of scheduling arrangements, Miller said.

“We've created an atmosphere here where you can pretty much create your own path,” she said.

Partner Kristine Meindl, who joined Goldberg Miller in 2003, said she has been afforded flexibility throughout her career. She credits that to Miller in part, but also to the size of the firm, where leaders can know the lawyers personally and help tailor their career tracks.

She pointed to the firm's chief operating officer, Lucille Bitterman, as an example. Bitterman was an associate when she decided the partner track wasn't for her. Miller said she saw leadership potential in the young lawyer, so instead of encouraging her to leave, she offered her an operational leadership role.

“A medium size firm like us really allows the individual to succeed,” Meindl said.

Miller agreed, noting that many of Goldberg Miller's lawyers have been there for their entire careers. Because of the firm's size, she said, “We don't have to go through a lot of red tape or politics to get things accomplished.”

Several other firms in the Philadelphia area have recently put women in top leadership roles.

Philadelphia-based class action firm Berger & Montague elected its first chairwoman, Sherrie Savett; Kleinbard LLC in Philadelphia announced that Mary Beth Gray would become one of its three managing partners in 2019; and Kathleen Furey McDonough became the first female chair of Wilmington, Delaware-based Potter Anderson & Corroon. And Gawthrop Greenwood announced the re-election of a female management committee chair who had been the firm's first several years ago.

Miller said her firm continues to work toward greater diversity and gender parity. Those efforts include starting a mentoring program for young female lawyers and a diversity-minded law clerk program.