Bernadette Catalana’s Post

WHEN WORK IS CHILD’S PLAY. Last Thursday was Take Your Child to Work Day and the MG+M NYC office hosted a very special guest. Ostensibly, young Camryn was supposed to benefit from observing our entire office at work, i.e., taking depositions, holding conference calls, writing motions, and other lawyerly activities. It became quite clear, in short order, that we all received greater value from watching her, as she navigated the day with energy equivalent to ten attorneys! First, Camryn assisted me by participating in the National Association of Women Lawyers Annual Meeting Sponsorship Call, via Zoom. When someone on the call mentioned a vacation, unprompted she shared her recent experience on holiday with her cousins. (AND we heard what happened when the Daddys went out)! After that, she designed and built a penthouse apartment for her doll “Frankie” out of an unused shoe box and post-it notes. Next, Camryn seamlessly moved from architecture and construction to a jazz dance performance in the office kitchen (to the Dua Lipa song “Training Season”). In addition to these major projects with tangible work product, she excelled at the nuances: kind smiles, cheerful words, infectious laughter. We all ended the day with our usual Thursday touch base, talking about work and life, and this week, what we learned from the delightful Camryn!

LAW CAREER ORIGIN STORY: In my recent conversation with Podcaster, Armando Leduc, I reflect on how motherhood led me to the legal profession. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation about law, about life and about my book, Daughter Lessons. I will share a link to the podcast and to my book in the comments below!

SO GOOD, IT’S WORTH REPEATING. For the third time in just five months, 3M secured a defense verdict - this time, before the Honorable Kimberly Childers in Salyersville, Kentucky. After approximately 2.5 hours of deliberation, a jury consisting of 7 women and 5 men found that there was no defect in the 3M 8710 respirators that Plaintiff Gregory Dwayne Miller claimed to use throughout his career as a coal miner. Our courtroom trial team consisted of Angela Brandt, Brad Bultman, Will Manuel, and Michael Brooks (embedded appellate counsel). William Book picked the jury with the assistance of Dr. Jill Liebold (Expert Services). They were ably assisted leading up to trial and “behind the scenes” during trial by attorneys Dan Adams, Rob Akers, Mike Bender, Byron Miller, Annika Petty, Bryant Spann, and Trisha Volpe. Paralegals Theresa Boquist and Matt Hendricks contributed greatly to the trial effort. Matt Hendricks coordinated our housing, meals and transportation and served as our “runner,” as well. Jody Blair (trial tech) of Expert Services, delivered a clean and clear visual presentation in the courtroom. LCI provided set-up services and are “tearing it down” as I write this report. 3M Mass Tort Leader Kate Warner was on hand throughout to provide leadership and make key strategic decisions. I was lucky enough to return from a much needed vacation to be with the team for the final days of trial. Special thanks to Simon Bailey, Stephen Fritz, Margaret Cupples, Tim Rodriguez, and the rest of the Bradley writers, who provided writing support throughout. Plaintiff’s case was presented in just under two weeks. Plaintiff put on ten witnesses before resting last Wednesday. In its defense, 3M presented the following witnesses: Dr. James Lamberti (medical expert), Erik Johnson (3M CIH), and Dr. Phillip Eitzman (3M corporate scientist). Each 3M expert was subjected to aggressive attacks from opposing counsel, yet maintained their credibility, sincerity, and likeability. During closing statements, plaintiff asked the jury for $25M in compensatory damages and an additional $50M in punitive damages. A HUGE thanks to all who took part and/or supported us. Once again, this extraordinary team brought home the win—a result worth repeating, again and again and again.

ITALIAN LESSONS. Last week we embarked on the trip of a lifetime: Rome, Capri, and Naples. Every moment was fantastic, but one of my favorite days in Italy was spent with our counterparts at Scognamiglio Studio Legale. Following a relaxing weekend with founder Giovanni Scognamiglio and his delightful wife, Stefania, we got down to business. Giovanni was patient with my many questions and did not blink when I took out my notebook to record his answers in detail. As our conversation unfolded, we discovered that our practices have many similarities, including large corporate clients and insurers. We each serve as outside legal coordinators and advisors; me to an international manufacturing company and he to a very large religious organization—both carrying global brand recognition. And the way our workdays flow is strikingly similar (traveling to meet with clients/opposing counsel, supervising younger lawyers, attending mediations). It seems that the main differences between his Italian law practice and mine in the U.S. are largely a function of the systems in which we operate. For example, while juries are foundational to the U.S. courts, Italian trials are determined by judges. And it probably will not surprise you that only Americans are arguing their cases; in Italy, issues are determined on the papers. One of the precepts I think we should borrow from the Italians: mediation is required BEFORE you are allowed to file a civil law suit. Only if the mediaton is unsuccessful can you sue the other party! I truly enjoyed learning how things are done in a country far older than my own. But the MOST inspiring part of our visit was witnessing the commitment Giovanni has to mentoring and guiding the younger attorneys in his office. His enthusiasm for raising up the next generation reinforced the promise I have made to “send the ladder down” to those coming up behind me. So while there were many things I want to adopt when I return to work in NYC (including caprese salad and wine for lunch and riding a motor bike to the office), I most admired the kind and generous leadership that set the tone for the entire office. I guess some lessons translate into every language, but they sound especially nice in Italian.

NAWL Y’ALL. Earlier this week, I spent a few hours sending direct messages to much of my network about the National Association of Women Lawyers Annual Meeting on July 24-25, 2024. So it only seems fitting that I get the word out to my LinkedIn Network, as well! This year’s gathering will be extra special because it marks our 125th Anniversary, making NAWL the oldest women’s bar association in the country. One of the many event highlights will be the keynote speech of 2024 Arabella Babb Mansfield award recipient, Stacey Abrams. Other honorees include Jenny Yang, Deputy Assistant to the President for Racial Justice and Equity, and Shannon Minter, Legal Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights. The NAWL Annual Meeting is THE event to find inspiration, network and connect, and earn CLE credit. I do hope you and your organization will consider joining us in Chicago. For more information, I will leave a link in the comments.

CHANGING HER STORY. Today is the last day of Women's History Month and also Easter Sunday, which was my devoutly Catholic mother's favorite holiday. Naturally my thoughts have turned to her. It would seem like a stretch to be associating my sweet and simple mother with a topic as large as women's history, but in fact, the pairing could not be more perfect. One of the most poignant lessons I learned from my mother was the power of our personal narratives. From any angle that you viewed Bernice Augustine Weaver's life, she was a winner. She raised seven children, largely by herself. She had 19 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren who adored "Grammy" beyond measure. She was an ideal daughter, sister and friend. Last summer, as we watched her disengaging from this life, I was sad at the thought of losing her but downright distraught because I knew that she viewed her life as a failure. Yes, this lovely person who was directly responsible for the lives of 45 other people felt she was "less than" simply because the man she loved (my father) left her (us) for another woman. This fact, this choice that my mother did not make, over which she had no control, became the defining detail of her last 40+ years on the planet. The high regard in which my mother was held did not matter because she told herself she was unsuccessful in her most important role. Many of her delusions in those last months involved my father, her anger at him, and her wish that they had never parted. We watched helplessly as she grappled with this decades-old event as if it had just occurred. It was almost unbearable to witness her pain. Then it dawned on me that, while I could not pierce my mother's dementia to provide her with relief, I could change the narrative for myself. Over the course of two months, I wrote each day about any significant event in my mother's long life that I could remember, and in every entry she was the victor not the victim, the warrior not the worrier. I re-wrote my way through her life and in the process, liberated myself from the heavy burden of her sorrow. When she ultimately passed in October, I was able to say good bye from a place of peace. After her funeral, we gathered for a luncheon. While others shared pictures, I shared "snapshots" from my mother's victorious life - which I had printed on colored paper and scattered among the photographs. People smiled and marveled at these glorious chapters, which were largely unchanged from prior versions just viewed from my positive perspective. Although I regret I could not help my mom see her life differently, I am grateful for the wisdom I gained from watching her struggle. My biggest takeaway: never let someone else be the central character of your one and only story.

I was honored to be invited to the ribbon cutting for the first Precious Dreams Foundation comfort shop, which took place last week. The shop will allow children and youths entering and exiting foster care and homeless shelters to choose their own items of comfort from a wide variety of contemporary youth-focused brands. This is a huge step forward and promotes self-esteem and self-worth in a segment of our community that is at risk for feeling otherwise. I will put a link to the Precious Dreams Foundation page in the comments for more information about this organization that believes dreams are the right of every child. #preciousdreamsfoundation