Page 19 - The American Lawyer Trailblazers - South 2022

Virginia/Washington, D.C.

Thomas E. Spahn

McGuireWoods

What was the genesis of the idea/path that has made you a trailblazer?
My first ever job interview (in 1975) was with McGuireWoods’s first woman lawyer. She described the then Virginia-
based firm’s culture of collegiality, civility and ethical conduct. After landing my dream job of working for and
then with her, I found that many lawyers ironically relied only on their “smell test” to guide their ethical conduct. It
dawned on me that presenting real-life hypothetical situations was the best way to teach ethics.
What sort of change has resulted from the concept?
McGuireWoods’s management was predictably supportive as I spent time away from my active litigation practice
to write about and teach ethics and the related privilege protection. I have spoken over 2,100 times on these and
other topics, all without charge. The firm allowed me to write a two-volume book on privilege – with all proceeds
going to the non-profit Virginia Law Foundation. I have also circulated short privilege case alerts for over 1,100
Wednesdays in a row. We think that this helps McGuireWoods’s “brand” and our clients, but the firm has also always
encouraged me to educate a wider audience about these important topics.

What bearing will this have on the future?
As my career winds down, I hope that my efforts have spread McGuireWoods’s culture of civility and ethical con-
duct beyond the firm and Virginia. Our website’s “Client Resource Center” makes available to the public over 40
ethics programs (about 10,000 pages of analyses). The internet makes these resources available worldwide. The
Kurdistan Bar invited me to Erbil, Iraq, to assist in drafting its ethics rules. And I recently received flattering emails
from a Turkish government lawyer and an Australian law student – both of whom rely on McGuireWoods’s re-
sources.

Lisa J. Banks

Katz, Marshall & Banks

What was the genesis of the idea/path that has made you a trailblazer?
My awareness of injustice and my passion to fight against began when, as a young child, my father told me that
because I was a girl, I could not play baseball for the Boston Red Sox, which had been my dream. This was devastat-
ing news, and my path as a civil rights lawyer stemmed from that day long ago!

What sort of change has resulted from the concept?
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have worked on some significant cases related to gender discrimi-
nation, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. In addition to representing Christine Blasey Ford during the nomi-
nation hearings for Justice Kavanaugh, my firm and I have represented hundreds of women in cases against high
powered men in politics, corporate America, and professional athletics. We currently represent over 40 former
employees of the Washington Commanders football team, who bravely came forward to reveal two decades of
abuse and harassment at the highest levels of the organization. Cases such as this have exposed the deep-rooted
sexism that still exists in our country and by doing so, have effected significant positive change in American work-
places and communities.
What bearing will this have on the future?
I believe my work, along with the work of all the people who fight against discrimination every day, has helped
shape the #MeToo movement, and positively impacted our understanding of what is and is not acceptable in so-
ciety. As a result of the #MeToo movement, women are now far more willing to stand up against harassment and
abuse, and to demand justice and accountability. While much work remains to be done, this has resulted in some
much-needed reforms, and in a more just society overall.

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