American Bar Association offices in Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ ALM |

Speakers

Julie Nord Friedman spoke at the American Bar Association Toxic Torts & Environmental Law 27th spring CLE meeting in Phoenix.

She participated in a panel session titled “Ethics Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them.”

This session highlighted some of the latest court rulings and ethics opinions that address the rules of professional conduct and ethics governing lawyers.

Friedman is a partner in Rawle & Henderson's Pittsburgh office.

She concentrates her practice on the defense of manufacturers, suppliers and contractors in mass and toxic tort litigation, with an emphasis on asbestos litigation.

Elected and Appointed

Kristen B. Hamilton of the Law Office of Eric J. Weisbrod is set to start a three-year term on the Pennsylvania Bar Association board of governors.

Hamilton will serve as the PBA zone governor representing Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York County lawyers.

In addition to criminal matters, Hamilton handles cases in all areas of family law including domestic relations, paternity, custody, divorce, adoption, termination of parental rights and juvenile dependency and delinquency.

Since 2010, Hamilton has served as the Franklin County guardian ad litem and Franklin County juvenile public defender.

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Laurel Brandstetter, chair of the criminal defense and internal investigations practice group for Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, was elected to the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Brandstetter founded PACDL's Allegheny chapter and also serves as its chairperson.

A trial lawyer and former prosecutor, Brandstetter has represented criminal defendants, grand jury witnesses and witnesses and targets of federal investigations, including subjects of False Claims Act investigations, targets of IRS and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigations, and defendants in public corruption investigations.

Additions

McCausland Keen + Buckman added Patrice Turenne as an associate attorney in the firm's litigation and employment practice group.

She joins McCausland Keen after practicing at a large East Coast law firm for the past three years.

The core of Turenne's experience is in litigation, with particular background in employment disputes.

She has represented employers in discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims, including those involving Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.

In addition, her practice includes guiding business owners, in-house counsel and HR directors on employment policies, and providing education and training to aid compliance with prevailing employment laws.

She has also handled complex commercial, premises liability, professional liability and property damage matters.