Philadelphia “Super Lawyer” Appointed Chair of American Bar Association Commission On Women in the Profession

CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2008 – Philadelphia anti-trust lawyer Roberta D. Liebenberg has been appointed chair of the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, whose mission is to secure the full and equal participation of women in the ABA, the legal profession and the justice system.

Liebenberg, a senior partner at Fine, Kaplan and Black, is a leader in the field of class action lawsuits.  She was named as one of the “50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America” by The National Law Journal last year.  She was also recognized earlier this year by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania.”  Additionally, Liebenberg will receive the Philadelphia Bar Association’s 2008 Sandra Day O’Connor Award. She has also been honored as a “Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania” by Gov. Edward Rendell.   Liebenberg is listed as one of the country’s preeminent antitrust lawyers in The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA Guide 2008:  America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

A graduate of the University of Michigan and the Catholic University Columbus School of Law, where she was the notes editor of the law review, Liebenberg has held a number of leadership positions in the ABA, including chair of the Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary, member of the Board of Governors and member of the House of Delegates.  She has also served as chair of the Class Actions and Derivative Suits Committee of the ABA’s Litigation Section.

Created in August 1987 to assess the status of women in the legal profession, identify barriers to advancement, and recommend to the ABA actions to address problems identified, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession is the national voice for women lawyers.  Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the first chair of the commission.  Today the commission is forging a new and better profession, ensuring that women have equal opportunities for professional growth and advancement commensurate with their male counterparts.

With more than 407,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.