Jones Day has become a Corporate Member of ArbitralWomen, with 18 partners, of counsel, and associates across 12 offices becoming ArbitralWomen members. ArbitralWomen is an international non-governmental organization for the promotion of women and diversity in international dispute resolution. Over the past 27 years, ArbitralWomen has provided professional development, mentoring, networking, and other opportunities to support female practitioners and to foster a greater understanding of the essential role that women and diversity play in dispute resolution. Jones Day's ArbitralWomen members will join members from more than 40 countries and will participate in networking, skills building, and promotion of women in the dispute resolution field.
Jones Day lawyers have a history of involvement in ArbitralWomen. Cherine Foty, a Global Disputes associate in Jones Day's Paris Office, currently serves on the Board of Directors of ArbitralWomen for the 2020-2022 term and acts as Board Liaison for the organization's Young ArbitralWomen Practitioners Steering Committee. Ileana Smeureanu, a Global Disputes associate in the Paris Office, previously served two terms on ArbitralWomen's Board of Directors. Brussels Office partner Vanessa Foncke has also been active in the organization for several years. In October 2019, the Firm's Paris Office hosted the first joint ArbitralWomen-Young ArbitralWomen Practitioners Speed Networking Event in Paris, attended by more than 70 dispute resolution professionals.
In addition to Corporate Membership in ArbitralWomen, Jones Day is launching an internal organization for women in arbitration across the Firm to connect internally, engage in skill-building, and adopt strategies for the promotion of women in the field of alternative dispute resolution.
Commenting on Jones Day's Corporate Membership, Greg Shumaker, the Firm's Global Disputes Practice Leader, noted: "We are proud to see this group of talented, energetic women take up membership in ArbitralWomen. The promotion of diverse talent continues to be a high priority for the Firm."
ArbitralWomen President Dana MacGrath commented: "We are delighted that Jones Day has become a Corporate Member of ArbitralWomen! Attorneys at Jones Day have a long history of supporting ArbitralWomen and our mission to promote women and diversity. In particular, Ileana Smeureanu and Cherine Foty have made substantial contributions as members of ArbitralWomen's Board of Directors. We are grateful for the gender diversity work of the many ArbitralWomen members at Jones Day and the firm's willingness to host diversity events. We welcome the continued involvement of ArbitralWomen members at Jones Day in our new diversity initiatives."
A full list of Jones Day lawyers with membership in ArbitralWomen is as follows:
- Vanessa Foncke (partner – Brussels)
- Sheila Shadmand (partner – Dubai)
- Melissa Gorsline (partner – Washington)
- Sylvia Tonova (partner – London)
- Mercedes Fernández (partner – Madrid)
- Marianne Chao (of counsel – Taipei)
- Leah Ratcliff (of counsel – Melbourne)
- Ileana Smeureanu (associate – Paris) (former ArbitralWomen Board Member)
- Cherine Foty (associate – Paris) (current ArbitralWomen Board Member)
- Maria Pradilla Picas (associate – Washington)
- Maria Elena Huerta Ávila (associate – Mexico City)
- Margherita Farina (associate – Milan)
- Zara Shafruddin (associate – Singapore)
- Vanessa Partridge (associate – London)
- Iris Sauvagnac (associate – Paris)
- Ashley Chandler (associate – Brisbane)
- Noel Lee (associate – Singapore)
- Grëtel Cannon (associate – Singapore)
