In The News
Because of Charna Sherman’s national reputation in complex commercial litigation matters and white collar defense, she has often offered national and international media commentary on high-profile white collar trials. She is also well recognized as a national thought leader and advocate on diversity, and regularly speaks on such issues.
More In The News about Charna Sherman and the Advancement for Women in Law
— The Harvard Crimson
MARCH 9, 2021
Read the Department Apology for Sexual Harassment, Department of Government, Harvard University.
MARCH 18, 2021
Sherman, a former Government concentrator to whom the letter was addressed, was “touched” by the “unprecedented” apology. “This is an apology that is transformational because it came from them, and was unanimous, unequivocal and unconditional,” Sherman wrote. Read the complete story.
— The Harvard Crimson
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
Charna E. Sherman ’80, a former Government concentrator who was harassed by Domínguez, wrote in an emailed statement that centralizing personnel records would not address structural issues that “systemically protect” those in power committing acts of sexual misconduct. Read the complete story.
FEBRUARY 10, 2021
“Are they perfect? No,” Bacow said. “Can we do better? Yes. Will we do better? Yes.” Read the complete story.
FEBRUARY 9, 2021
Victims call for changes in how Harvard investigates sexual misconduct. Read the complete story.
FEBRUARY 5, 2021
Charna E. Sherman ’80, told The Crimson they were pleased University President Lawrence S. Bacow apologized, but felt deeper systematic changes are still needed at Harvard to protect women from harassment in the future. Read the complete story.
February 5, 2021 — Daily Mail
“Harvard University did little to address multiple allegations of sexual harassment against a powerful professor over four decades — and instead promoted him to a top administrative post, an external review found this week.” Read the complete story.
February 2020 — Harvard University, Department of Government
“I, for one, am deeply sorry that so many women were subjected to sexually inappropriate and degrading behavior by one of our colleagues, and that the Department was unable to provide them with the safe and secure environment necessary for a productive academic experience,” states Jeff Frieden, Chair, Harvard Department of Government, in his letter. Read the letter.
February 2020
On February 3rd, 2020, Sherman along with Nienke Grossman, Terry Karl, and Suzanna Challen — four women who have spoken out about sexual harassment at Harvard — returned to campus to talk about why they are still in this fight, joined by America’s top #MeToo lawyer, Debra Katz, and student activist and union organizer, Sejal Singh. Learn more and keep informed.
February 5, 2020 — Harvard Magazine
“My belief is that Harvard has not to date adequately addressed what has been reported,” states Sherman. Read the full story.
February 4, 2020 — The Harvard Crimson
Sherman “directly challenged” the premise that it would be able to accomplish its mission without a “full record of the past,” including re-examining complaints against Domínguez. Read the full story.
November 13, 2019 — The Harvard Crimson
Despite concerns over the impartiality and the scope of the review, the appointed external review committee is expected to hold itself to the highest standard of transparency and thoroughness. Read the full story.
May 2019 — The Harvard Crimson
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay announced in an email to FAS affiliates that she has stripped former Government Professor Jorge I. Dominguez of his emeritus status and disinvite him from the FAS campus following the conclusion of a months-long investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Read the full story.
MAY 2019 — The Chronicle of Higher Education
After a yearlong investigation, Harvard University has found a prominent former vice provost and professor of government responsible for sexual misconduct, and banned him from its campus. Read the full story.
October 2018 — Crain's Cleveland Business
“Whatever differences people have over the (Brett) Kavanaugh battle, it crystallized for all one salient point: legal rights matter. But rights don’t mean anything if they can't be enforced in a court of law,” said Sherman of her motivations for giving to Legal Aid. “So for the most vulnerable in our community, legal aid ensures the cornerstone of the rule of law: access to the courts assisted by lawyers.” Read the full story.
March 2018 — The Harvard Crimson
“If you want to look at this system, you can’t have the system itself doing the looking,” Charna Sherman said. “We need a thorough investigation, it needs to be independent, and there needs to be commitment in advance that it be public.” Read the full story.
March 2018 — The Chronicle of Higher Education
“The focus isn’t just about him,” Charna Sherman said, referring to Domínguez, “but about who enabled this to occur for that many decades.” Read the full story.
April 2016
Sherman admitted to the Florida Bar.
April 2016
Charna E. Sherman recently secured the acquittal of Moses in The People vs. Moses, A Mock trial at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law’s moot court room. The People were represented by the former US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, who charged Moses with aiding and abetting the murder of the first born of Egypt. Read the reviews. Follow on Facebook.
August 2015 — ABA Journal
“‘New Law’ offers alternatives to lawyers fed up with long hours of BigLaw, report says,” recaps the University of California at Hastings Law School Center for WorkLife Law groundbreaking report titled “Disruptive Innovation, New Models of Legal Practice” study. Read the complete report.
Spring 2015
Under auspices of the Ohio Attorney General, Charna Sherman was selected to serve on an expert panel of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission charged with creating a new basic training course for all new Peace Officers in Ohio on procedural justice and police legitimacy, with a particular focus on incorporating a primer in implicit bias.
September 2014
Following Gloria Steinem’s launch of the 10th anniversary of the CWRU Flora Stone Mather Center for Women, Charna E. Sherman was invited to offer her insights at the first of its Salon Series on: “Gender Inequality in Higher Education and the Workplace.” She appeared with Lynn T. Singer, Deputy Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, CWRU, and Barbara Danforth, Senior Vice President, Ratliff & Taylor. Shannon Lundeen, Director of the Center facilitated the compelling panel discussion.
April 2014
Charna E. Sherman was chosen by her law school to offer insights to a national alumnae audience on “Thinking Outside the Box” at the 2014 Georgetown Law Women’s Forum. She was a featured panelist on “Private Practice: Forging Your Own Path in the Private Sector”, alongside Karen Litsinger, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Mirixa Corporation, Cheryl Black, General Counsel for Evergreen Enterprises, and Monica K. Arora, Partner at White & Case LLP.
November 14, 2013
Charna E. Sherman Law Offices Co., LPA sponsored the LC12—Raising the Bar (Leadership Cleveland, Class of 2012) quarterly meeting, an evening featuring the Cleveland Institute of Art’s Reinberger Galleries CIA alumnus Richard Anuszkiewicz, one of the giants of 20th-century American art.
May 2013
For over 50 years, the Fund for Justice and Education has served as the charitable arm of the American Bar Association. In May, the President of the ABA appointed Sherman to serve on the select FJE Council to advance its mission in sustaining over 200 ABA public service and educational programs. Read more.
April 11, 2013
On April 10–12, 2013, the University of Texas Center for Women in Law convened one of the most significant gatherings of women attorneys in the country in Austin, Texas for its biennial Women’s Power Summit on Law and Leadership. Sherman had the privilege of introducing the key note speaker, renown Harvard University Professor, Mazaharin Banaji, who riveted the select attendees on the groundbreaking issues of implicit bias.
December 2, 2012
Charna E. Sherman walked with Summit Sunday participants to commemorate Summit Sunday, which served as a stark reminder of efforts to free Natan Sharansky, who in 1973 was denied an exit visa for Israel. Read more.
September 28, 2012
Charna Sherman served as lead Ohio Trial Attorney for Schwarz Pharma, Inc. n/k/a UCB, Inc., and Pfizer Inc. and Wyeth LLC. Read more.
September 13, 2012
To help combat implicit bias in the justice system, the ABA Section of Litigation’s Task Force on Implicit Bias has launched a landmark website offering critical information and resources for ABA members and other stakeholders. The Implicit Bias Task Force is co-chaired by Charna E. Sherman of Charna E. Sherman Law Offices Co., LPA, and the Hon. Delissa A. Ridgway of the U.S. Court of International Trade. Read more.
June 12, 2012
Charna Sherman will share her time, energy and talents as a member of the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession for a one-year term. Read the ABA letter.
August 4, 2011
Charna E. Sherman Law Offices Co., LPA has received certification as a 51 percent woman-owned business by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). The certification validates that the enterprise is owned, controlled, operated and managed by a woman or women. To achieve certification women-owned businesses complete formal documentation and a site visit process.
WBENC is one of the largest third-party certifiers of businesses controlled and operated by women in the U.S. The organization is one of the nation's leading advocates of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. Thousands of major U.S. corporations recognize and employ WBENC certified enterprises. Additionally, WBENC facilitates business and networking opportunities for certified women-owned business.
July 2011 — Published by American Bar Association
In this first-ever publication, The Road to Independence: 101 Women's Journeys to Starting Their Own Law Firm, the ABA turned to 101 women among the nation’s most successful lawyers to recount their experiences and insights in creating law firms of their own, either as a solo practitioner or with others, over multiple decades. The book was published in July 2011 by the ABA’s select Commission on Women in the Profession, and has received much acclaim.
June 21, 2011 — Crain's Cleveland Business
Charna E. Sherman has been named to the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2012. Leadership Cleveland is designed to prepare and build leadership resources within the Greater Cleveland community.
Participants in this dynamic, nine-month program represent a diverse group of recognized and established leaders from across a wide variety of business, government and nonprofit organizations. The program is designed to foster civic responsibility; create a culture of leadership that is inclusive, collaborative, and progressive; and make a dynamic impact on the community. Read the full story
Winter 2011
Charna Sherman appeared as a panelist in January, 2011 on Implicit Bias and the Justice System, featuring nationally renowned legal and psychology expert, Cornell Law Professor Jeffrey Rachlinski. The program was presented at the ABA Litigation Section Leadership Meeting in Vail, Colorado. Charna co-chairs the Section's groundbreaking Implicit Bias Task Force, which is working to foster awareness of “unconscious bias” and to address its profound impact on the justice system and the profession.
January 10, 2011 — Crain's Cleveland Business
Cleveland attorney Charna E. Sherman has established her own practice. The female-owned boutique will focus on complex commercial litigation, including toxic tort, environmental, health and safety, product liability, intellectual property and white-collar defense. Read the full story.
Cleveland - January 4, 2011
Highly accomplished Cleveland attorney Charna E. Sherman today announced the establishment of her own law practice, Charna E. Sherman Law Offices Co., LPA. The firm is located at 5310 Key Tower, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44114. Read the press release.
January/February 2008 — Iberian Lawyer
“The failure of U.S. law firms to become truly multicultural and international in their scope is an opportunity for other legal markets,” says Charna E. Sherman.
January/February 2008 — Bar Leader
Charna E. Sherman’s number one recommendation for anyone contemplating a new project is to make sure it’s relevant. Sherman, a member of the Steering Committee for the ABA Section of Business Law’s DirectWomen initiative, said it was quickly apparent that the new project aimed at placing women lawyers on boards of Fortune 1,000 companies had hit home. Read the full story.
October 2003 — ABA Journal
“If you’re going to go into the business of breaking the glass ceiling, you ought to wear really stylish shoes,” said Charna E. Sherman of Cleveland, co-chair of the Women Advocate Committee in the ABA Section of Litigation. Read the full story.
October 2005 — Business Alabama
“Normally going up the food chain is the most powerful weapon in the prosecutor's arsenal, especially in a case where there is a dearth of a paper trail,” says Charna Sherman… Read the full story.
August 2005 — CFO Magazine
If there is any lesson for CFOs to learn from the stunning acquittal of former HealthSouth Corp. CEO Richard Scrushy, it may be to keep mum a little longer. With all five former HealthSouth CFOs facing jail time as Scrushy walks, the case is likely to “slow the rush to the prosecutor’s office to be the first to rat on your colleagues,” says Charna Sherman.
June 22, 2005 — Reuters
Charna Sherman provides perspective on the impact of juror illness during deliberations for the corporate fraud trail of HealthSouth Corp. founder Richard Scrushy. Sherman noted the move could only help the prosecution because jurors must start fresh. “This development bodes to be a fortuitous turn that reopens the possibility of conviction,” she said.
March 16, 2005 — Financial Times
“It’s a huge win for the government, especially given the surprising dearth of a paper trail,” said Charna Sherman. Read the full story.
March 16, 2005 — Washington Post
“The message to others awaiting like trials as well as those running other corporate giants is clear: If you play in big leagues, but only intend to coach, expect to get benched to the nearest federal prison,” said Charna E. Sherman, a defense attorney. Read the full story.
February 4, 2005 — The Washington Post
Charna Sherman discusses the use of secret audiotapes in the prosecution of former HealthSouth Corp. officials, noting that the tapes are relatively unusual because “they require highbrow executives who rose to the top by scratching the backs of their closest colleagues to rat them out instead, and to do so at the pricey cost of their own reputation and success.” Legal experts said the tapes could prove to be the turning point in the trial, which U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre said will last for months.
July 16, 2004
Legal experts were mixed on the severity of Stewart’s sentence. Defense lawyer Charna Sherman said she did not believe the sentence was light at all.
“Martha Stewart was prosecuted for who she was so that the rest of us would learn that lying to investigators is a crime,” said Sherman. “But because of her stature, she also suffered enormous costs that exceed, by an incredible margin, any penalty ever envisioned by any lawmaker and certainly those actually enacted into law.”
January 30, 2004 — The New York Times
One lawyer not involved in the case said the postponement of Mr. Faneuil’s testimony would have no real effect on the trial.
“They’re going to get more time, but it’s not really going to change much,” said Charna E. Sherman, who specializes in white-collar crime. “It shouldn’t be surprising that he didn’t tell the truth in the beginning. He admitted as much.”