News/Noteworthy
Charna Sherman’s passions for the law and the advancement of women in the legal profession convinced her to pursue a different law-firm model, inspired by a truly blind Lady Justice. That model is a female-owned boutique committed to promoting the core values of law as a profession, but in a new and changing world. She is to committed to fostering diversity and improving our community and the world we pass on to the next generations. Charna has been recognized as a national thought leader and advocate on diversity, and regularly speaks and highlights such issues.
— 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 crystalized 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.
June 2018
Ruby Shoes sponsored an extensively reviewed installation at FRONT International of a sculpture by acclaimed artist A. K. Burns titled The Dispossessed, after feminist Ursula K. LeGuin's 1974 novel of the same name, which in her words explores “the lines of gender.” Article by Alex Greenberger, ARTnews; Article by Zack Hatfield, Artforum
March 2018 — The Harvard Crimson
“If you want to look at this system, you can't have the system itself doing the looking,” 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,” Sherman said, referring to Domínguez, “but about who enabled this to occur for that many decades.” Read the full story.
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
The Ruby Shoes Fund supported CIA’s Community Works series, shining a spotlight on Women to Watch - Ohio. The Women to Watch Exhibition was on display at The Reinberger Galleries April 2 - May 2, 2015, and received rave reviews. The Cleveland Institute of Art, in collaboration with the NMWA, hosted this first-ever Ohio exhibition. The NMWA is the only museum in the country dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of women artists through exhibitions, acquisitions, educational initiatives and archival research. Charna E. Sherman was a board member of the Cleveland Institute of Art.
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.
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.
2012
Charna E. Sherman Law Offices Co., LPA and The Ruby Shoes Fund has been identified as exemplifying the kind of innovative thinking necessary to advance the study — linking high-quality academic research with “news you can use” practical steps for improving diversity and flexibility, helping legal employers match today’s workplace to today’s workforce in a rapidly changing legal profession, and undertaking a study of New Models of Legal Practice.
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 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.
February, 2008 — Iberian Lawyer January
“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. Read the full story.
February, 2008 — Bar Leader January
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.