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Speakers

Charny Karpousis Altieri & Donoian partner Rebecca A. Berger is the new host of "RadioVision Network (RVNTV) Justice for All," a half-hour series that covers the law from the eyes of South Jersey and Philadelphia professionals who practice it.

The weekly program is a one-on-one discussion in which legal professionals in the surrounding area discuss their career path and their niche practice area.

A practicing family law attorney and former prosecutor, Berger draws on her own experiences and challenges guests to discuss how their life choices and experiences shaped their professional approach and client advocacy.

The show focuses on diverse legal matters and speaks to those who work in the field of law and those who are impacted by it.

Berger represents clients in divorce, child custody, spousal and child support, property settlement agreements, prenuptial agreements, domestic violence and municipal court matters.

Prior to joining the firm in May 2015, Berger worked as an assistant Burlington County, New Jersey, prosecutor for seven years, handling criminal cases on behalf of the state of New Jersey.

During her four years in the Domestic Violence Unit of the Prosecutor's Office, Berger trained law enforcement officers in the investigation and prevention of domestic violence.

She is a member of the state and local bar associations and is co-chair of the Burlington County Bar Association–family part section.

In November 2019, Berger was appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court State Domestic Violence Working Group.

Berger is an associate member of the Thomas S. Forkin Family Law Inns of Court and was also a volunteer with the Domestic Violence Project and state of New Jersey mediator and community dispute resolution committee.

She is a regular speaker at seminars on domestic violence and other family law matters.

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Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law's Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy is set to host Ross Douthat, a columnist with The New York Times, as a speaker.

The talk is slated to be held from 4 to 5 p.m. March 16 at Villanova Law.

Douthat is an opinion columnist who covers politics, religion, moral values and higher education.

The lecture will focus on his newly published book, "The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success."

In "The Decadent Society," Douthat explains his theory on what happens when a rich and powerful society ceases advancing—how the combination of wealth and technological proficiency with economic stagnation, political stalemates, cultural exhaustion and demographic decline creates a kind of "sustainable decadence."

The lecture is approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for one substantive CLE credit.

Elected and Appointed

Ballard Spahr chose Emilia McKee Vassallo and Kahlil C. Williams to be members of the 2020 class of pathfinders, a program designed by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity to train high-performing, early-career attorneys in career development strategies.

The program offers participants intensive in-person training, online learning and opportunities to network with peers and LCLD fellows and alumni.

Vassallo, a litigation associate, represents corporations in white-collar investigations, securities arbitration and commercial litigation, including unfair competition disputes.

She is a member of the summer program committee and Ballard Spahr's diversity and inclusion council, which works to develop, promote and implement initiatives to help the firm reach its diversity and inclusion goals and to collaborate with clients on diversity and inclusion issues of mutual interest.

Williams, also a litigation associate, represents companies and individuals in complex commercial litigation, government and internal investigations, securities litigation and regulatory proceedings.

He is the leader of Ballard Spahr's black lawyers group, which supports the recruitment, retention, development and advancement of black lawyers across the firm.

Both Williams and McKee Vassallo are members of the firm's hiring committee.