Kristen Hamilton practices in Franklin County, handling cases in all aspects of family law and additionally has criminal trial experience, including prior capital case certification. Ms. Hamilton served as the Juvenile Public Defender from 2010-2020, Franklin County guardian ad litem from 2010-2024 and now serves as the Juvenile Hearing Officer. Ms. Hamilton received her undergraduate degree from Gettysburg College, gaining employment at Abraxas Youth Center as a Senior Treatment Supervisor working with juvenile firesetters and sexual offenders. Ms. Hamilton graduated from Widener Law Commonwealth, receiving commencement awards from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and Widener in the areas of Children and the Law and Families. She has served as a panelist for various CLEs with topics ranging from civility within the profession to child advocacy. Ms. Hamilton began as Chair Young Lawyers’ Division of Franklin County, a delegate to the Statewide Children’s Roundtable. She continues to be heavily involved in the FCBA, and currently serves as a Secretary of the Franklin/Fulton Children’s Roundtable, FCBA Committee Chair and is a past-President. Ms. Hamilton continues to be active in the PBA, as its current Vice President and a tri-chair of BLI. Ms. Hamilton serves on multiple other local and statewide committees and organizations to improve the practice of law, as well as positively impact the lives of children and families in Pennsylvania through the juvenile delinquency and dependency systems.

Maraleen D. Shields is Executive Director of the Interbranch Commission for the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness (“Interbranch Commission”). The purpose of the Interbranch Commission, which was established by all three branches of Pennsylvania government in 2005, is to promote equal application of the law. The Interbranch Commission fulfills its purpose by implementing the recommendations from a 2003 study by the Supreme Court Committee on Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System (“Committee”), investigating and implementing new initiatives that may not have been addressed by the Committee, suggesting ways to reduce bias in all three branches of Pennsylvania government, raising both public and professional awareness of its work, and increasing public confidence in Pennsylvania government. Ms. Shields is a frequent speaker on diversity, equity, and inclusion, litigation, and healthcare matters. She has been recognized throughout her career with accomplishments that include Lehigh Valley Business Woman of Influence (2021); National Black Lawyers Top 100 List (2020-present); PBA President’s Award (2018); the Lynette Norton Award (2020); PA Super Lawyers list (2021-present); PA Super Lawyers – Rising Stars list (2008, 2010, 2012-2018); Lehigh Valley Business Journal’s Forty Under 40; and being recognized as a Lehigh Valley Magazine Legal Leader. Ms. Shields is active in the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), serving as Co Vice-Chair of the Membership Development Committee and Co-Chair of the Women in the Profession Commission’s Report Card Committee. She received her B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy with a Law and Society Concentration from Kenyon College and her J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Mr. Yoon is Chief Staff Attorney-Legal of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Previously, he served as Administrative Assistant to President Judge Correale F. Stevens, a law clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly, Jr., and chief law clerk to the Honorable James J. Fitzgerald, III, in the Superior Court, as well as law clerk to Justice Fitzgerald in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a 2004 graduate of the Washington and Lee University School of Law and a 2000 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He is based in Philadelphia, and is an active member of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, having served on the PBA Board of Governors as Minority At-Large Governor and as Chair of the PBA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team, as a current Philadelphia Bar Association delegate to the PBA House of Delegates, and as an active member of the Law-Related Education, Appellate Advocacy, and Minority Bar Committees. He currently serves as co-chair of the Minority Bar Committee and as vice-chair of the Law-Related Education Committee.

Emma Pachon serves as Legal Counsel at HKA in Philadelphia. She has experience in corporate and mergers and acquisitions and has advised multinational companies and privately held businesses on a range of corporate transactional matters. She has gained varied experience through her prior work at a large, Philadelphia-based law firm, as well as a smaller, boutique law firm.

Marcel S. Pratt is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Philadelphia office. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, antitrust and competition law, product liability, class actions, investigations, and government relations. He also leads the firm’s Crisis Management Team.Marcel previously served as the City Solicitor of Philadelphia, the City’s highest-ranking lawyer and leader of its 330-member Law Department, which represented the City in all litigation, transactional, regulatory, and legislative matters. In that role, Marcel personally represented the City in highly publicized appellate and trial court matters and acted as general counsel to the Mayor, City Council, and all City departments, boards, and commissions.Marcel is a litigator who represents clients in high-stakes matters and investigations. He has successfully represented clients in matters involving multibillion-dollar antitrust claims and has counseled clients on antitrust compliance and the implications of mergers and acquisitions. He has also represented clients in a range of breach-of-contract, product liability, and class action litigation. He has advised clients responding to criminal and regulatory investigations by federal and state authorities and has conducted highly sensitive internal investigations for private and governmental entities. He regularly advises clients on government relations, public policy strategies, and crisis management.

Kia Hayes is honored to serve as Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer for Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, where she shapes and oversees initiatives dedicated to advancing equity, both within CLS and for CLS clients. A graduate of UCLA School of Law, where she specialized in Critical Race Studies, Kia also holds a master’s degree in print journalism from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s in Africana Studies from Brown University. Most recently, Kia provided technical assistance and training to innocence organizations and criminal conviction integrity units across the country at Penn Carey Law School’s Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice. Prior to that, Kia was an attorney at Innocence Project New Orleans for eight years, freeing innocent people who were wrongly convicted of crimes and advocating for reforms which reduce wrongful convictions. Prior to law school, Kia spent six years as a reporter at the Times-Picayune in New Orleans and at the Providence Journal.

Melissa represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including employment–related agreements, union negotiations, Act 111 negotiations, grievance hearings, executive compensation, internal investigations, wage and hour matters, employee benefits, as well as employment litigation. Melissa works with municipalities and companies in a wide range of industries including health care, financial services, information technology, universities and secondary schools, manufacturing, and nonprofit organizations.Prior to joining Obermayer, Melissa worked as a Deputy City Solicitor in the Labor and Employment Unit for the City of Philadelphia and in the Employment Law practice group of one of the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance companies, where she maintained a caseload of complex employment law cases from inception to resolution, representing a wide range of private sector employers in union and non-union workplaces across many industries, including education, health care, construction, industrial and manufacturing.Melissa gained broad experience in court proceedings, performing all phases of litigation including developing case strategy, conducting discovery, depositions, and witness preparation, and drafting responsive pleadings, motions, and briefs. She was also first chair spokesperson in settlement negotiations.

Sharon López started out her post collegiate professional career as a social worker. During this time, she navigated the social service system for her clients, however since she was also a single mother, she quickly learned the value of the economic safety net. The challenge of being poor, single, and a parent led her to make important life decisions to become a community-based lawyer advocate for the poor. She began her work as a legal service certified intern during her second year in law school and was hired as a staff attorney following graduation. Working at Central Penn Legal Services (CPLS) gave her a deep understanding of the need for free and pro bono legal services. López worked at CPLS (now known as MidPenn Legal Services) for nine years and then began work at the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV), a statewide non-profit organization that advocates for safety, autonomy, and restoration of domestic violence victims. Although she worked for a non-profit, she continued to serve as a pro bono attorney for CPLS clients, which she continues to this day. Always interested in sharing what she learned, López co-authored a journal article on custody and domestic violence, “Custody and Visitation: Consideration for Every Attorney Retained by a Survivor of Domestic Violence.” López also contributed to the chapter on domestic violence in the Pennsylvania Report in Racial and Gender Bias in the Judicial System. In 2006 López left PCADV to form a private law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights, Triquetra Law. Lopez continues her commitment to pro bono and to public interest work by serving on the Board of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, and Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing advice and representation to low-income individual who have criminal records that hold them back from achieving their social and career goals. She presently serves on the Board of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, and the Board of the Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Account. López serves on the Lancaster Bar Association Professional Ethics Committee and the Diversity Committee. López co-authored and article in the Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly on Title IX and Transgender Athletes to help lawyers understand the quicky changing areas of the law. Her co-authors were Thomas Ude and Andrea Farney. López is a plaintiff’s employment and civil rights attorney. She is the managing partner of her firm, TRIQUETRA LAW ®, located in Lancaster, PA. from 2014 to 2016, López served as special counsel for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where she prosecuted discrimination complaints before the Commission at public hearings. She has litigated civil rights employment cases and taken them to verdict in the Federal Courts of Pennsylvania. López served a three-year term on the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission, which reviews and rates state appellate court candidates. Governor Wolf appointed López to serve for one year on the Governor’s Judicial Merit Selection Commission. López also served on the Lancaster Bar Association’s Judiciary Committee, which reviews and rates Lancaster County Common Pleas Court judicial candidates. She served as a juror in the county mock trial competitions and as a judge for the regional mock trial competition in past years. In 2019, she was a co-instructor of newly revised Bridge the Gap program for new lawyers, and she contributed to the development of the new diversity and inclusion section. López became the 123rd President in 2017-2018 for the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She was the fourth woman, the first Latina, the first mother, the first ex legal services attorney, and the first MLK Intern to service as President of the largest voluntary state bar association in Pennsylvania. López works on both the state and local level to improve the legal profession’s diversity and inclusion of women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ members in the legal profession. López is an active member of the PBA Diversity Team, the Gay & Lesbian Rights Committee, Minority Bar Committee, Women in the Profession and the Civil and Equal Rights Committee. López served as the first editor for the Gay & Lesbian Rights Committee’s electronic newsletter, “Open Court” from 2011 to 2013. She also served as the first editor of the Minority Bar Committee’s first electronic newsletter, “Houston’s Legacy” (named for attorney Charles Hamilton Houston, the architect of Brown v. Board of Education.) In 2007-08, she spearheaded a diversity pipeline project that placed minority first-year law students in local law firms for the summer. López continues her efforts to mentor and sponsor lawyers who ask for her help, no matter their practice area, or geographic location. Her service on the Minority Bar Committee Membership Development Subcommittee is one of her favorite services to the Bar as she is able to introduce new members to the Minority Bar Committee. López received Super Lawyer designation for Employee Plaintiff’s Litigation in 2013 and in every subsequent year to date. Widener University School of Law awarded López the 2008 Alumni Outstanding Service Award for her work in promoting diversity and mentoring law students and new lawyers. López received the 2017 League of Women Voters, Make Democracy Work Award. López was selected as a 2020 Champion of Justice by Al Día, a regional bilingual magazine marketing to Latinx communities.

Andrea Clark Smith is the Associate Chief Legal Officer and SVP Employment, Labor and Physician Contracting for UPMC. At UPMC, Andrea leads a team of lawyers, paraprofessional and HR professionals who provide support to various UPMC entities on legal issues related to all employees and the work environment. Andrea has been named by Savoy magazine as one of the most influential leaders in business in the country, by the New Pittsburgh Courier as a Woman of Influence and in 2021, she was inducted into the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers – an exclusive legal society whose members are nationally recognized as labor and employment law experts. In addition to her work with UPMC, Andrea serves a Board Member/Trustee for a number of non-profit organizations in the city, including – Literacy Pittsburgh, where she serves as the Board Chair, Urban Leage of Greater Pittsburgh, The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Sarah Heinz House and the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity and Inclusions Coalition. Andrea also serves as a Board member for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.

Alyssa joins Diversity Lab with more than 10 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a Director of Mansfield & Strategic Innovations, she works with over 360 law firms in pursuit of Mansfield Certification. She has an opportunity to meet with and learn alongside large and midsize firms, located in the US, Canada, and UK. In her previous roles, she managed relationships with corporations that were focused on creating inclusive environments for all employees. Alyssa received a B.A. from Indiana University and is currently pursuing a M.S. of Science from Michigan State University. She received the Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Cornell University in 2018. Alyssa is passionate about disrupting biases in people and systems to ultimately create a world that is more equitable and equal for everyone.

Ann Juliano, Professor of Law, joined the Law School faculty in 1998. Professor Juliano’s teaching and scholarship focus on employment law, employment discrimination, harassment, Federal Indian law, and gender and the law issues. Her articles have appeared in the Cornell Law Review, Boston University Law Review, Georgia Law Review, St. Louis University Law Review, and Tulsa Law Review. Professor Juliano contributed a book chapter to the Indian Law edition of the Stories series, explaining the backstory behind the important Supreme Court cases in substantive areas. Professor Juliano is committed to bringing her scholarship interests to the real world by creating anti-discrimination training courses, lecturing in bar exam preparation courses, and speaking to high school students about consent and Title IX. She presents on discrimination issues surrounding dress codes to anyone who will listen. Prior to joining the Villanova faculty, Professor Juliano was a trial attorney with the United States Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, where she worked in the Indian Resources Section, and later as Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Lois J. Schiffer. Prior to that, she was a law clerk to the Honorable Stephanie K. Seymour of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and later to the Honorable Raymond J. Pettine of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Professor Juliano graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her law degree cum laude from Cornell Law School where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Cornell Law Review.

Kent Lollis recently retired from his role as vice president and chief diversity officer for the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). At LSAC, he led key DEI initiatives, including the development of the Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program and the expansion of pre-law programs available for underrepresented minority students at HBCUs, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, AANAPISI and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Prior to his work at LSAC, Lollis was the associate dean for Law Career Services and an associate professor of law at Ohio Northern University College of Law, as well as assistant dean for Administration and University Staff Grievance officer at the University of Louisville School of Law. Over his career, he has held several board and committee positions with a variety of legal organizations, including a current membership role on the ABA Council for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline. Lollis holds a JD and an MS in management from Northwestern University, as well as a BA in political science from Brown University.

Angela C. Scheck is the Executive Director of the New Jersey State Bar Association, a post she has held for the last 17 years. After working as a journalist after college, she began her career at the NJSBA in 1987 as the editor of The Advocate, the Association’s monthly newspaper at the time. She’s held several positions within the Association, including Associate Director of Communications, Director of Communications and Executive Director of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, a post she currently holds jointly with her role as the Association’s Executive Director. As the chief executive of the NJSBA and NJSBF, she oversees budgets in excess of $12 million and a staff of more than 60. For the past 30 years, she has been principally responsible for management of the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick, overseeing a $5 million capital campaign and two renovations of the facility. She works closely with the leadership of the Association and the Foundation to ensure that both entities are meeting their strategic goals of serving New Jersey’s legal community and the public. Angela has also dedicated her energy to a number of community-based organizations and causes that serve people with disabilities as well as those who struggle with mental illness. She is a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Mental Health Advisory Committee and the Working Group on the Future of Civil Commitments. She is a member of the Board of Trustees at Autism NJ, serves on the Accessibility Community Engagement Committee of the State Theatre in New Brunswick, and is a member of the parent advisory committee for the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services.

Megan Mallek is Legal Counsel for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, where she represents the Unified Judicial System in both state and federal lawsuits and advises and counsels UJS personnel on federal and state employment laws. She received her B.S. from Ithaca College and her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Upon graduation, Megan worked in private practice representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of employment-related legal disputes. She frequently provides training and guidance for supervisors and judges on employment issues both at the AOPC and in the judicial districts.

Deputy Chief Counsel Morgan Williams has been with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission for over ten years, serving in different capacities in the Office of Chief Counsel. In her role as Deputy Chief Counsel, she supervises the office’s prosecuting attorneys who advocate on behalf of persons pursing complaints of unlawful discrimination at public hearings in cases where probable cause is found. In addition to her role as a supervisor, she also works with Senior Management on a variety of complex issues, including policy, legislation, regulations, internal HR matters, and various special projects as assigned by the Executive Director and/or Chief Counsel. Prior to serving in her role as Deputy Chief Counsel, Williams was a senior prosecutor within the Office of Chief Counsel where she handled complex litigation and appeals. During her time at the Commission, she has also served as Interim Chief Counsel and Interim Regional Director. She has received the Legal Star Award and the Executive Director’s Award twice. Deputy Chief Counsel Williams serves the people of the Commonwealth out of the Commission’s Pittsburgh Regional Office. Before her tenure with the Commission, Williams cut her teeth in private practice and worked with the Commission’s partners at the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission. Williams holds a Juris Doctor Degree from Widener University School of Law in Delaware.

Since becoming Chief Defender in November 2021, Keisha Hudson has brought local and national attention to the critical role played by public defenders in maintaining and reforming our criminal justice system. By combining her background as an accomplished lawyer, leader and activist, she has improved the Defender’s delivery of services to its clients, achieved pay parity for Defender attorneys and staff, and refocused the Defender’s mission to be a more people-focused and inclusive organization. Keisha has spent twenty-two years as a public defender, first with the Defender Association of Philadelphia and then as a capital appellate defender with the Federal Defender-Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Capital Habeas Unit) representing people on death row in their state post-conviction and federal habeas appeals. As a seasoned trial and appellate defender, Ms. Hudson has an in-depth understanding of what it means to be a public defender. At the Capital Habeas Unit, Hudson was the Director of Training. In 2016, Ms. Hudson left the Federal Defender and joined the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender Officer to become the Deputy Chief Defender. Ms. Hudson joined the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender with the goal of building and strengthening advocacy in the courtroom. Along with former Chief Defender Dean Beer, Ms. Hudson addressed systemic issues regarding policing, pretrial detention, sentencing, and probation in the county. In four years, Chief Defender Dean Beer and Ms. Hudson built one of the best public defender offices in the state. In 2020, Ms. Hudson worked with The Justice Collaborative and The Appeal, developing and leading advocacy and media campaigns on criminal justice issues- specifically campaigns aimed at looking at creative and successful community alternatives that truly create public safety. Ms. Hudson was a visiting professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law from 2020 to 2021.

Regina Wilson is the 116th President of the Allegheny County Bar Association. She is the 12th woman – and just the third African-American woman – to hold the position. Ms. Wilson is a Senior Conflicts Risk Assessment Lawyer in the Office of General Counsel at K&L Gates, LLP. In this position, she assesses legal risk and provides recommendations to mitigate risk and ensure compliance with firm-wide policies and procedures. She counsels lawyers in 48 worldwide offices on legal conflicts of interest issues, strategies and related business objectives of firms. She previously worked in the School and Municipal Law Practice group at Goehring Rutter & Boehm. Additionally, she previously served as a senior hearing committee member for District IV of the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board. Throughout her legal career, Ms. Wilson has been involved in numerous aspects of the ACBA. She served as the President of the former Homer S. Brown Law Association and led that organization’s transition into becoming the Homer S Brown Division of the ACBA. Ten years later, she again served as chair of the Homer S. Brown Division. Ms. Wilson received the inaugural Homer S. Brown Division Young Leader Award. Ms. Wilson has held key roles on the ACBA Board of Governors, Finance Committee and Nominating Committee, and she co-chaired the inaugural ACBA Ally Initiative cohort. Additionally, Ms. Wilson also has held numerous leadership roles in the ACBA Young Lawyers Division, including serving as YLD Chair and as council member. She also chaired the ACBA Bar Leadership Committee, co-chaired the YLD Diversity Committee and the Children’s Holiday Party, and she served as a member of the YLD Public Service Committee. In 2018, she was named the ACBA’s Outstanding Young Lawyer. Ms. Wilson is significantly involved with the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, where she has served on the Fellows Committee and the Attorneys Against Hunger Committee. Ms. Wilson is a 2003 graduate of Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio and a 2007 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She also holds a Diploma of French Studies from L’Université Rennes 2 in France.

Trent Hargrove has held positions in the public and private practice of law and served in some capacity for every Pennsylvania Governor and Attorney General between 1980 and 2010. He has practiced in the areas of utilities, real estate, administrative law, and civil rights. The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) named Trent as its chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer in January of 2014. He has an extensive background in DEI issues, processes, and development. He is responsible for overseeing and facilitating the PBA’s efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within the PBA and Pennsylvania’s legal profession. Trent served as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s first Chief Diversity Officer where he was charged with the management of a major new initiative to evaluate the Commonwealth’s diversity programs and implement best practices. Trent worked in the Governor’s Office of General Counsel in several positions and multiple agencies including serving as Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. In this capacity, he was the chief legal advisor to the Secretary of General Services and other Department personnel. Trent also worked as a Chief Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights Enforcement in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and served on the United States Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Working Group for State and Local Law Enforcement Training. He assisted the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission and conducted training for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Trent also chaired the Governor’ Alliance for Law Enforcement and Community Relations. Trent has also worked as in-house counsel and in a large firm environment where he concentrated in the areas of real estate, municipal and public land development and finance, administrative law, and retail leasing. Trent is a native of Harrisburg and attended Harrisburg public schools and the McDonogh School. He is a graduate of Bucknell University where he earned a Bachelor Arts degree and the Penn State Dickinson School of Law where he earned a Juris Doctor degree.

Kristine L. Calalang has dedicated her law practice to family law matters since 2004. She provides her clients with strong advocacy, compassion, and empathy. Ms. Calalang is passionate about serving in leadership positions to help elevate the legal profession, promote fellowship in the legal community, and support philanthropic endeavors. She has strong leadership roles in the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), serving as a Zone 1 member of the House of Delegates, Co-Chair of the Legal Academics Committee, and the Diversity Liaison and Co-Chair of the Diversity Task Force of the Family Law Section. Additionally, Ms. Calalang is the Diversity Liaison for the PBA Minority Bar Committee and the Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee of the Women in the Profession Commission. She is also in leadership in the Philadelphia Bar Association, having served as a Member of the Board of Governors and 2022 Board Chair, Co-Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee, and Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Management Committee. Ms. Calalang also served as the 2019 Chair of the Family Law Section and continues to serve as a member of the Section’s Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the Custody Committee, Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee, and founding member of the Diversity Inclusion Scholarship Committee. Ms. Calalang further serves as a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Judicial Selection and Retention Commission and is an active member of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law’s alumni boards. She often plans and presents programs for the PBA, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia Bar Association, and other legal groups.

Samuel G. Encarnacion is the First Assistant Public Defender of Lancaster County. He has a long-standing career with the Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office, representing clients in criminal cases. Bilingual in English and Spanish, he is originally from the Dominican Republic, grew up in Puerto Rico,and moved to Texas in 1980. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and obtained his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. He was also a partner with Spahn & Encarnacion and represented injured plaintiffs with Haggerty & Silverman. In addition to his legal practice, he has actively participated in various legal committees, including the Pennsylvania Bar Association Minority Bar Committee. He served as an at-large minority governor on the PBA Board of Governors. Furthermore, Sam chaired the PBA Insurance Fund and Trust for and for its tenure as Chair received the PBA Special Achievement Award. He was also a member of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Committee on Rules of Evidence and served as its chair. Recently, he was appointed as co-vice chair of the newly formed Technology Committee.

Obi specializes in employment discrimination litigation. He has represented individuals in various employment matters. He has also represented corporations and municipalities against numerous charges of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, etc., filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, and federal courts. He has led employee training seminars to assist clients in avoiding/limiting employer liability. In addition to representing private sector employees, Obi currently maintians a robust practice of representing federal employees in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s federal sector administrative hearing process. Prior to starting Abara Law Firm, Obi assisted in handling a variety of defense related matters including automobile claims, premises liability, trucking accidents, workers compensation, first party benefits claims and subrogation. Obi is also very heavily involved in the Pennsylvania Bar Association and currenlty maintains leadership positions as Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Labor and Employment Section’s Immediate Past Chair, PBA Labor and Employment Section’s Delegate; Council Member in the PBA’s Civil Litigation Section and Trustee of the PBA Insurance Fund and Trust Fund. Obi enjoys giving back to the community by participating in various volunteer and service projects sponsored by his fraternal organization, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Obi also has a strong interest in developing and shaping the minds of Philadelphia youth, and has worked in conjunction with the College Access Program and Philadelphia Cares through various speaking engagements and community efforts. Obi is a Director Emeriti of the Seybert Foundation- independent charitable foundation dedicated to providing support to nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged children and youth in the City of Philadelphia.