RSHC news

Crain’s Chicago Business has recognized RSHC among Chicago’s Notable Businesses Championing Diversity & Inclusion 2020 in the legal profession. Diversity and inclusion is a core principle of RSHC and a mission-critical assignment. RSHC strives to be an inclusive workplace for all of its people. #ProudtobeRSHC and to Support Our LGBTQIA+ Family.

RSHC Managing Partner Patricia Brown Holmes is currently being featured in a December 29 Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight sharing what it took for her to get where she is today.

RSHC is proud to announce that our Managing Partner, Patricia Brown Holmes, has been recognized as a 2019 Notable Minority in Accounting, Consulting & Law by Crain’s Chicago Business. An inspirational leader, Patricia “leads from the front,” and encourages others to dream, learn, do, and become more. Patricia teaches others to overcome obstacles, tear down walls, and break through glass ceilings with unparalleled grace, dignity, and humility. We are honored to call her our Managing Partner.

On December 16, RSHC Partner Rod Perry and RSHC Of Counsel Cheryl Walker will be co-panelists at the Construction SuperConference 2019 program, “Participation Goals: Strategies to Achieve Them,” to be held at Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Contractors are often called upon to meet or exceed project goals established for (public and private) participation by disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs), minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs), and women-owned business enterprises (WBEs).

RSHC Partner Shalem Massey will be a panelist at the October 24-25, 2019 ABA/TIPs program, “The Aviation Lawyer’s Operating Handbook: Learning to Litigate, Navigate, and Communicate,” to be held in Washington, DC. Shalem and his co-presenters will discuss the tripartite relationship, the issues which arise, and best practices at their session, “Keeping Formation: Navigating the Relationship of Insured, Insurer, and Outside Counsel.”

Vault’s “2020 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For” names RSHC tops several different categories. RSHC was named #1 in Best Midsize Law Firms for Diversity, and #1 in Best Midsize Law Firms for Pro Bono. RSHC was also named #14 in Best Midsize Law Firms for Technology and Innovation, #18 for Firm Culture, and #23 Overall.

Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP (RSHC) announced the hiring of two new partners, Jeffrey W. Morof and Shalem A. Massey. Jeffrey W. Morof has spent his entire career defending aerospace clients and the aviation insurance market in product liability and commercial litigation matters, including serving as national counsel for two large aerospace manufacturers. Shalem A. Massey is a litigator with experience handling high-stakes and “bet the company” matters for businesses and insurers in the aerospace and technology industries.

RSHC is working to change the face of the legal profession, literally, and figuratively. We are pleased to announce that RSHC has been named a Top Five firm for minority lawyers AND a Top Ten firm for minority equity partners.

Ron Safer and Eli Litoff are proud to be part of the team that secured Bernard Williams’ release from Cook County Jail on Friday. In February, the Court of Appeals vacated Mr. Williams’ murder conviction and granted a new trial, but a Cook County Judge ordered that Mr. Williams be held without bail until his new trial was completed.

Congratulations to Drahcir Smith and the entire 2019-2020 Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA) Board of Directors and Scholarship Fund Board, who were installed on June 3. The group pledged their renewed commitment to making an “impact” on the legal profession, as well as the general community-at-large, and changing so many lives.

RSHC is proud to sponsor and have RSHC Partners, Meghan McMeel and Kate Stimeling, presenting at The Women, Diversity & Change Summit programs in Chicago (June 6) and San Francisco (June 11). Meghan will be speaking at the June 6 program on strategies for strategically fostering effective sponsors for women in law to progress their careers. Kate will be presenting on the June 11 San Francisco panel, “Sponsors, Influencers & Career Engineering.” The conference will explore and inspire lasting change for women and minorities in the legal profession.

Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila is extremely proud of our three partners recognized as top Gen X practitioners in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business. Joseph McCoy, Kelly Warner, and Josh Lee serve in senior leadership roles at the firm as well as actively serve on boards of professional associations and organizations giving back to their profession and community.

RSHC is proud to announce that RSHC Employment Counsel Drahcir Marie Smith has been elected the 2019-2020 Corresponding Secretary for the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA). Drahcir served as a BWLA Board Member at Large for the 2018-2019 term. Congratulations to all of the new BWLA Officers and Board members!

RSHC Managing Partner Patricia Brown Holmes was the special guest on the March 15 Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll retrospective podcast hosted by Radio Dave Milberg featuring 30 Feminist Hit Singles Before Their Time between the 1950’s and 1990’s. The history and snippets of thirty (30) hit songs about female empowerment by Aretha Franklin (Respect), Helen Reddy (I am Woman), Gloria Gaynor (I Will Survive), and more were remembered for their strong and positive impact.

Patricia Brown Holmes made history when she was elected RSHC’s first Managing Partner in April 2018. She is the first and currently the only African-American woman to head a national law firm that is not women- or minority-owned. RSHC is a top ranked firm for gender and racial diversity.