Arent Fox Honored for Gender Discrimination Work by Professional Women in Advocacy Conference

Washington, DC – On December 9, the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference recognized Complex Litigation partner Barbara S. Wahl and associate Alison Lima Andersen as recipients of its Excellence in Advocacy Award. A reception was held to honor the attorneys at The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington, DC.

Ms. Wahl and Ms. Andersen were recognized in the category “Campaign for Women Serving Women” for their work with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs on behalf of women farmers who suffered gender discrimination in the awarding of farm loans and loan servicing by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The case Rosemary Love, et al. v. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture was filed in federal district court in Washington, DC in October 2000, two days before the statute of limitations expired on claims against USDA for discrimination in the way it administered its farm loan programs dating back to the 1980s. Ms. Wahl and Ms. Andersen have dedicated thousands of hours to ensuring that women farmers who experienced gender discrimination have the opportunity for redress.
 
Due to the persistence of this team and others at Arent Fox, the USDA launched in September 2012 a claim program that makes well over $1 billion available to women who can prove gender discrimination through a streamlined administrative process. Awards will be paid out of the Judgment Fund administered by the Justice Department. Chairman Emeritus Marc L. Fleischaker has also been instrumental in providing effective advocacy to women farmers for more than a decade.
 
Arent Fox’s Complex Litigation practice has been recognized by Chambers USA for its “streamlined” approach that delivers “quality” results. With more than 125 litigators, the practice boasts a deep bench and international reach while having extensive experience in high-stakes litigation before federal and state courts and regulatory agencies. The group is especially proficient at managing parallel litigation in multiple jurisdictions and represents clients in matters that include intellectual property, health care, life sciences, trade, automotive, insurance, and human rights abuses.

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