11/21/2022Press Releases

Dickie McCamey Associate Devon Ferris Recognized by Pittsburgh Legal Diversity and Inclusion Coalition

Chris Lee, Devon Ferris, Barb Strnad

Dickie McCamey associate Devon F. Ferris was honored Thursday, November 17, 2022, by the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition (“PLDIC”) for her work on the recent Legal Career Exploration Program. The inaugural Volunteer of the Year award was presented by PLDIC Executive Director Ena Lebel during the organization’s annual meeting at the K&L Gates Center.

“It is a tremendous honor to have been named Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition’s inaugural Volunteer of the Year,” Ms. Ferris said. “The work the coalition is doing is incredibly important to not only our legal community but to the entire Pittsburgh community as well. I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Ena Lebel and multiple amazing volunteers to design and implement this important initiative. I’m also grateful to my mentors and the firm for their endless encouragement and support of my involvement in wonderful organizations such as the coalition.”

The Legal Career Exploration Program was organized by the PLDIC in partnership with The Pittsburgh Promise, Dickie McCamey, and Wabtec Corporation. Twelve Pittsburgh-area juniors, seniors, and recent grads participated, representing nine different high schools. The three-day event included a Q&A panel representing various law firm roles/careers and a roundtable discussion with in-house attorneys.

Ms. Ferris and Ms. Lebel began the program by leading the students in an activity designed to get them thinking on their feet and responding to arguments posed by others. Ms. Ferris followed that up by introducing them to a fact pattern that she developed to use throughout the program regarding a corporate client considering legal action against an employee. Then she asked them to put themselves in the shoes of outside counsel and brainstorm questions they would want to ask if interviewing the client’s management and the employee. Next, after being provided with additional facts in response to the questions they had brainstormed, the students took on the role of trial attorneys, working in small groups to plan an opening statement, cross examination, and closing statement. The multi-day program culminated in the students’ performance of an exceptional mini mock trial based on the centralized fact pattern.

The program included a visit to Allegheny County court where the students observed a sentencing hearing. They also participated in “speed networking” with several U.S. Attorneys and attorneys and staff from the Public Defender’s Office.

Each student received a certificate to show their engagement in the program, practical information about how to include the program on a resume and school/job applications, and contact information for the attorneys and others they connected with throughout the program so they can maintain those relationships if they choose a legal career path. The student and practitioner feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. All of the students who completed the post-program evaluation said they are interested in pursuing a career in the legal profession.

Ms. Ferris is a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She concentrates her practice in the areas of admiralty and maritime law, insurance defense, and municipal law.

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About Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C.
Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C. is a nationally-recognized law firm providing comprehensive legal expertise in a multitude of practice areas. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and founded more than 100 years ago, the firm serves industry-leading clients across the country from offices throughout the mid-Atlantic region in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, the Southwestern region of California, and the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado. For more information: 800-243-5412 or www.dmclaw.com.