The theme of our 2024 ELEVATE retreat was ‘flawless execution,’ a message we will carry into 2025 as we look to operate more efficiently and intentionally.
Over the last 30 years, LT has grown into a national firm with offices in 10 major markets around the country. While many of you started here after our firm became nationally known, several of you are familiar with our more humble beginnings and the tough obstacles Leech Tishman has overcome in order to expand our footprint and make a lasting impact on the legal community.
We are so proud of our dedicated attorneys, staff, and management team who contribute to the firm’s success and expansion.
Our ELEVATE retreat was a reminder that when we work hard and come together as a firm, creative thinking and innovation explode, resulting in the most meaningful outcomes. From our LT election campaigns, to the stunning main events, to truly impactful practice group meetings, we hope everyone departed feeling excited about their impact on the firm’s future through hard work, focus, and dedication.
MLK Day
January 20, 2025
Monday, January 20, 2025, marks the 39th anniversary of the first observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day as a US federal holiday Dr Martin Luther King, Jr played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968 Dr King sought equality and human rights for AfricanAmericans, the economically disadvantaged, and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on MLK Day, a single day across the country to celebrate and reflect on the legacy of the late Dr King and his fight for diversity, inclusion, and so much more
Lunar New Year
Year of the Snake
Wisdom Charm Elegance Transformation
Generally, we celebrate Lunar New Year with a Chinese luncheon in our larger offices.
Black History Month
January 29, 2025
February 2025
Black History Month, celebrated each February, commemorates and celebrates the achievements and contributions of black people throughout American history, highlighting the brave men and women who persevered through significant hardships that inched America forward to becoming a more unified and just nation.
Spanish Conversation Table
In fall 2024, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, our Pittsburgh office kicked off a monthly informal gathering where participants can talk in Spanish and learn more about Latin culture We hope to hold more sessions in 2025 to further refine our Spanish language skills!
International Women’s
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women Celebrated for well over a century, the day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality Pictured here is an afternoon stroll the NY office took in honor of Women's History Month last March
The LT Times is a quarterly newsletter that will include firm news and updates, educational materials, opinion pieces, and more This newsletter is designed to be inclusive and collaborative - please reach out to Jordan Trinch (jtrinch@leechtishman com) with any feedback or suggestions
Legal Hot Topics
In October 2024, the HHS Office for Civil Rights settled a HIPAA Ransomware Cybersecurity Investigation for $90,000
Following a ransomware attack on Bryan County Ambulance Authority, (BCAA) an investigation was launched after BCAA’s failure to perform the required HIPAA Security Rule Risk Analysis, a key element of HIPAA
First enforcement action by the agency for this provision of HIPAA
In December 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a temporary injunction, halting the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury
The injunction applies to businesses nationwide
The Court’s decision was based on an assessment that the CTA likely violates constitutional protections
It is likely that this decision will be appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
The ruling is not a final determination
For more information, please read the Corporate Group’s Client Alert released on December 6, 2024
What’s Up with AI?
It’s 2025 and the times they are a changin’. Get ahead by learning about this exciting new technology impacting not only the world, but also the legal community. AI is changing the way lawyers and paralegals approach complex legal issues.
Your LT WestLaw subscription provides you with access to AI-Assisted Research, a conversational tool that can provide valuable insight into a particular topic or case. We encourage attorneys to take advantage of this technology to assist in conducting the most thorough, up-to-date research for clients.
While this technology is great for assisting with research, it can produce inaccuracies and, alone, should never be used to offer legal advice or draft legal documents.
Tips for Success
Submit a clear, concise query that is 1-2 sentences long practice area, governing law, cause of action, desired outcome, material facts, etc.
Provide relevant facts do not provide additional background that is not material to the question
In 2024, our firm grew and expanded in a big way. We completed the Pittsburgh renovation, moved offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC, planned a 2-day all-firm retreat in Washington, D.C., combined forces with Nelson Hardiman, implemented material software changes, rolled out a comprehensive rebrand, grew our attorney team by more than 30 lawyers, and celebrated Leech Tishman’s 30-year anniversary. To say it was an eventful year would be an understatement
We are unbelievably proud of the firm’s achievements in 2024 and recognize the hard work by our management team, attorneys, and staff to pull off such monumental feats, seemingly without a hitch, while still delivering top-tier services to our
on more efficient internal processes and delivering client services that rival and outshine our competitors
Use the space we’ve given you for increased networking with clients and colleagues. Clean up client files to be in compliance with new processes Market yourself to grow and expand your practice. This year we’re not anticipating major growth and expansion We’re expecting everyone to get organized, be engaged, and work to grow our clientele by delivering services that positively impact our clients. This will lend credibility to Leech Tishman’s reputation as a mid-sized firm that competes with and wins against some of the largest firms in the world
Behind the scenes, we really need paralegals and admins
be working with IT to take advantage of new technology We expect our marketing team to provide attorneys with exciting networking and business development opportunities
2025 is going to be about refining our processes to become more efficient We want to prioritize attorneys and staff taking advantage of expanded internal resources that have been implemented to improve our processes. Most importantly, we’d like all departments to prioritize better collaboration across offices to offer more robust services to our clients.
Leech Tishman is nothing without your hard work and dedication - a message that I do not take lightly Please heed these words of encouragement to make 2025 your year of
Holiday Giving
We are incredibly proud to highlight our firm’s growing ‘LT Gives Back’ program as we look to further expand our efforts across the country in 2025 An initiative all of our major offices participate in is holiday giving - while each office might support different organizations, there is a collective desire to give back to our local communities during what might be a stressful and challenging time for some.
In November, a team of Pittsburgh attorneys and staff supported the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh’s efforts to provide community members with Thanksgiving meals by packaging and organizing food for distribution Our team spent several hours volunteering with colleagues and friends, before heading out for a post-event social hour at a local restaurant. “The event was a huge success,” said Mala Mason, Chief People Officer, “Each year, this is an incredible opportunity for our firm to help the local community and enjoy some team-building in the process” In addition, the Pittsburgh office participated in a food drive for a local food bank
All three of our major offices in Pittsburgh, New York, and Los Angeles also participated in a ‘Blizzard of Generosity’ campaign to raise funds and solicit donations for charitable organizations in need of extra help during the holidays The Pittsburgh office participated in a Toy Drive hosted by the Allegheny County Bar Association to raise funds and donate holiday gifts to children. The New York office chose to collect donations in support of The Bowery Mission, an organization that works to feed and clothe the homeless. Los Angeles raised funds to support the wish lists of three families through the LA County Department of Public Social Services’ ‘Adopt-A-Family Program.’
We greatly appreciate the generous employees who participate in our ‘LT Gives Back’ program Without your support, whether that’s through donations, volunteering, or working directly with our partnered charitable organizations, we recognize that none of this would be possible without you.
Pittsburgh: Genevieve Redd Los Angeles: Hannah MacKenzie New York: Marcel Cameron
Endurance Escapades
by Phil Toomey, Partner (Westwood)
I am an endurance athlete. Long distance running, mountain, and road biking means freedom. I am also a deeply spiritual person I understand the push and fear to go deeper - physically, spiritually, and emotionally
I am also a contender for those who have courage, but because of cancer cannot physically race. In that respect, competing has provided me with many educational moments. Being encouraged up a hard pull by an Olympian reminds me of how others might feel when I am more encouraging. Enduring what the human body goes through after 12 hours on a trail offers a tiny glimpse, and valuable perspective, into how a fatigued cancer patient might feel in a bed with exposed tubes and bags
I am not the prototypical endurance athlete. I’m old, pudgy, undisciplined, and grumpy So for me, this has been a God thing My conversion from occasional runner to endurance athlete started on March 21, 2013, with my cancer diagnosis. My ultimate racing sponsor, the Livestrong Foundation, linked me with cancer warriors and families to sit, to listen, to touch, to hope, to hold, to cry, and to pray. Sometimes in oncology wards, sometimes in homes, sometimes at events. Sometimes, when the end came short of the finish line
By God’s grace, I have twice finished Boston as well as the other six major world marathons. Recently, God found me a racing number for Leadville, the world’s toughest endurance race at a total of 104-miles The names, spirits, faces, and hopes of those fighting cancer, and those for whom the fight has ended, provided sustenance not to quit. God guided me through Antarctica research stations, over the Verrazzano bridge, across the Sydney Harbor “Coat Hanger” bridge, past the Charlestown Ravenel bridge, and over the Golden Gate bridge. God guided my race through the Brandenburg Gate, next to Big Ben, near grazing buffalos on Catalina Island, and across the marbled canyons of St George and Sedona My feet have pounded pavement or turned pedals in Buenos Aires, Seattle, Oklahoma City, Tokyo, Dublin, Omaha, Port au Prince, Fort Worth, Mt Hood, Rome, Madrid, Florence, Big Sur, Mammoth, and Lake Tahoe And many more
As lawyers, we are expected to see that which is hidden, continue when others quit, and help others overcome obstacles in their weakest moments Marathoner George Sheehan, facing his cancer, saw God in the preparation, competition, and transformation of an endurance athlete by what occurred Lance Armstrong, facing his cancer, learned that it was not about the bike In the 45 years I have been a lawyer, competing in endurance events on six continents has provided perspective between being a lawyer and the larger calling whispered in each of our ears as we face our greatest challenges - one step, or one pedal turn, at a time
When did you get started at LT?
I was hired as general admin for the Chicago office in 2017.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A mom! All I ever wanted to be was a mom.
What three items would you take to a deserted island?
Books, wine, and chocolate.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
I’d like to visit all of the national parks
“Rita is the ultimate team player, handling pressure with composure and focus She gracefully juggles multiple attorneys, deadlines, and demands, bringing expertise and confidence to every case”
- Stephanie Porche (PHI)
Rita Hansen
Legal Admin. Asst. Chicago, IL
What historical, political, professional, or personal figure do you draw inspiration from?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
My ability to prioritize and multitask, and to learn a multitude of computer programs and continually adapt to new technology.
What
is the best piece of advice someone has given you?
“They call it ‘work’ for a reason” (courtesy of Jenna Casselman, quoting her father)
“Rita is an absolute joy to work with, and an awesome person. She is generous, kind, and thoughtful, and always has a positive attitude. Rita is also a great teammate and is happy to help you figure out the best way to solve a problem, or to lend a helping hand.”
- Jenna Casselman (CHI)
What aspect of the organization makes you proud to work here?
We provide a highquality service to our clients.
Where did you grow up, and what brought you to Chicago?
I grew up in a small town in Minnesota and moved here for my husband’s job.
“Even though we are miles apart, I have formed a close relationship with Rita She is always willing to pitch in and assist when asked. She goes the extra mile for LT. She is one of the best we have and I am happy to call her my friend.”
- Pam Fratangelo (PIT)
“Rita is so knowledgeable and dependable, and she constantly amazes me with how much she does and how sincere she is I’m pleased she’s getting the spotlight and recognition she deserves I am lucky to call her my coworker and friend”
*Please email your completed mad lib to Jess Ames (james@leechtishman com) for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card! The winning mad lib will be featured in the 1 20 25 issue of This Week at Leech Tishman!
