Seyfarth’s Shardé Skahan Installed as 50th President of Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

(September 30, 2024) - Shardé Skahan, partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, has been inaugurated as the new president of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles at the BWL’s Annual Installation and Awards Dinner & Gala. Skahan, based in Seyfarth’s Century City office in the Labor & Employment department, will serve a one-year term through September 2025.

Her Seyfarth colleague, Heather Horn, will also be a member of the BWL board as Parliamentarian.  She is an associate in the Labor & Employment practice at Seyfarth, also based in the Century City office. Seyfarth associate Laura Heyne served as co-chair of the Installation.

The coming year marks the 50^thanniversary for the BWL, which was founded in 1975. The BWL will host a celebratory event in honor of its golden anniversary in the spring.

“I am deeply honored to have been chosen by my peers to lead this important organization in such a significant time in our history and in our industry,” said Skahan. “I plan to focus this year on supporting the community and, in particular, on students to increase their exposure to and interest in the practice of law.”

“Seyfarth is very proud to support Shardé as she embarks on her term as president of this pillar of the California legal community,” said Lorie Almon, chair and managing partner of Seyfarth. “Shardé is a shining example of how Seyfarth attorneys are so well-rounded and actively engaged in the community, while at the same time delivering the highest level of service to our clients. Seyfarth has been a longtime supporter of the Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles and is especially delighted that Shardé will serve as its President, and that Heather will join her on the BWL board, as BWL heads into its milestone 50th anniversary year in 2025.”

In addition to Skahan and Horn, the other BWL board members for the coming year are:

Sherry Patterson (president-elect) Alisha Burgin (vice president), Devon Hein (treasurer), Tiffanie Spivey (financial secretary), Katuri Kaye (recording secretary), Moorisha Bey-Taylor (corresponding secretary), Hayley Tharpe (historian), Pokuaa Enin (newsletter editor), Millicent O. Usoro (member at large), and Sarah Clifton (member at large).

Skahan’s practice provides wide-ranging experience in labor and employment law providing advice and counsel to, and litigating on behalf of, public and private sector clients. Her litigation experience informs the counseling side of her practice, which also includes workplace trainings and conducting or advising on workplace investigations spanning a variety of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and ethics violations. Skahan has successfully represented employers in state and federal courts, arbitration, and before California administrative agencies, including, but not limited to, claims of disability discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

She earned her JD from the University of Minnesota Law School and her BBA from Southern Methodist University.

The Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Inc. is a non-profit corporation whose mission is dedicated to charitable, educational and community-based services, and addressing the needs and concerns of African-American women in the legal profession. BWL was founded in 1975, by then Judge Vaino Spencer and then U.S. Congresswoman Yvonne Burke.

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