BOSTON, March 28, 2012 – The Project for Attorney Retention (PAR) has selected Elaine Herrmann Blais, a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP, as a recipient of its 2012 PAR Flex Success Award. The award recognizes attorney-client relationships exemplifying how, with client and firm support, attorneys can work on flexible schedules, deliver exceptional legal services and enjoy extraordinarily successful careers.
Blais is nationally recognized as an emerging expert on patent litigation and serves in many leadership roles at the firm. She has successfully maintained a flexible schedule on the firm’s flex-time program since 2002.
“Elaine is a fearless litigator. Her intellectual and tactical insights, as well as her strong team management skills, have made her an invaluable leader on our trial teams,” said J. Anthony Downs, chair of the firm’s Patent Litigation Practice. “We all admire her ability to successfully maintain her flexible schedule while masterfully managing complex litigation matters.
“At Teva, we appreciate the value of flexibility. Throughout our eleven-year relationship, we’ve been glad to partner with Elaine on balancing the many demands on her time,” added David Stark, general counsel of Goodwin client Teva Pharmaceuticals-Americas. “In my view, Elaine’s flexible schedule has been a win-win, because we get the benefits of her outstanding intellect and leadership, and we believe her ability to balance has increased her level of commitment to her career over the long-term. We look forward to working with Elaine and helping support her flexible arrangement for many years to come.”
Blais serves on the firm’s national Hiring Committee and the Women’s Initiative Steering Committee, and was selected for a committee charged with innovating strategic initiatives for the firm. She speaks regularly around the country on patent litigation topics. She won the Mentor Award from the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project in 2009 for her pro bono work on behalf of human rights and immigrant advocacy. Currently, Blais focuses her pro bono efforts on representing unaccompanied minors—children who have fled their countries without a parent or guardian—and refugees from Iran and Somalia.
PAR is a non-profit initiative at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law dedicated to linking academic research with practical steps for improving diversity and flexibility in the legal industry. The organization works to reduce unwanted attrition among lawyers by promoting the retention and advancement of women in the legal profession and by encouraging work/life balance for all attorneys.
About Goodwin Procter
Goodwin Procter LLP is one of the nation’s leading law firms, with offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. The firm provides corporate law and litigation services, with a focus on matters involving real estate, REITs and real estate capital markets; private equity; technology companies; financial services; intellectual property; products liability and mass torts; and securities litigation and white collar defense. For additional information, visit www.goodwinprocter.com. Follow us on Twitter @GoodwinProcter.