About Toni Klym McLellan
Toni McLellan is an attorney by training, and has more than 16 years of experience crafting content for major magazines and brands, including Parents, Family Fun, Yoga Journal, Disney, Volkswagen, and AT&T. She writes and edits a variety of content, including profiles, video and podcast scripts, features, blog posts, and newsletters. Toni is also a certified mediator trained in facilitative mediation at the Center for Conflict Resolution in Chicago.
Articles written by Toni Klym McLellan
The Pros of Giving Back
If given a poll on a what motivates a student to go into the legal profession, which choice would garner more responses: “Earn BMWs full of money” or “Contribute to your community”? Modern public perception of attorneys might prompt more votes for the former than the latter, especially for those of us who grew up watching legal dramas filled with glamorous television and movie stars. The public was exposed weekly to the likes of sexy Harry Hamlin jumping into a sleek black sports car in …
Defending the Delorable
Four North Carolina lawyers describe how and why they do itThe law provides for fair and equal treatment in the criminal justice system, but the public often assumes the accused is guilty, particularly if the case is profiled repeatedly in the media. But criminal defense attorneys have the ability to focus on the person, not the act, when they take on cases that involve the notorious. Read on to learn why some North Carolina criminal defense attorneys believe that everyone deserves fair, expert representation. The Smart, The Stupid, The Mean, …
Putting the "Pro" in Pro Bono
Michigan's top attorneys set the bar for helping othersMost attorneys reluctantly acknowledge that their industry is better known for zealous advocacy than for altruism. But five of Michigan’s most successful attorneys consider reaching beyond their bottom line to help others a crucial part of the job. A Civil Approach Deborah Gordon’s passion for civil rights is palpable. While the Bloomfield Hills attorney has crafted a successful career defending those rights, these cases hold more than monetary value for her. And Gordon’s firm …
Defending the Despicable
Michigan’s top criminal defense attorneys make a case for defending the bad guysIf revenge is a dish best served cold, what’s the recipe for justice? Criminal defense attorneys skillfully bring unpopular arguments to the table in a society hungry for “quick-and-dirty” sentencing. Four of Michigan’s top criminal defense attorneys speak frankly about advocating for clients who have committed reprehensible acts. “In most cases I represent good people who have done incredibly dumb things,” says former U.S. Attorney James S. Brady, a fellow of the Michigan State Bar …
Healing by Helping
Debra Brown Steinberg wants immigration status granted to the families of 9/11 victimsDebra Brown Steinberg isn’t merely an accomplished attorney; she’s a woman on a mission. A partner in the litigation department of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Steinberg has represented families of 9/11 victims, working to pass a law that would grant immigration status to some of those families. As of this writing, the September 11 Family Humanitarian Relief and Patriotism Act is wending its way through Congress with strong bipartisan sponsorship and support. “My commitment is to …
A Parity of Charity
Carlyn McCaffrey views volunteering as a “natural outgrowth” of her law practiceAs one of Manhattan’s most successful attorneys, one might assume that Carlyn McCaffrey’s calendar is perpetually packed. However, the co-head of Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ Trusts & Estates department earmarks ample time to helping others. “It seems to be a natural outgrowth of the kind of practice I do, where the clients themselves in many cases are charitably inclined,” she says. A mother of four, McCaffrey recently welcomed her first grandchild into the world, and devotes a …
Passion Pays
Andrea S. Rattner says her paid work and her pro bono activities are symbioticAndrea Rattner loves her job, and that ardor overflows into volunteer work that benefits myriad organizations. A partner with Proskauer Rose, she practices in the area of employee benefits and executive compensation law. “My parents instilled in me the value of doing good works,” Rattner says. In high school, she joined a community service club dedicated to helping the elderly and disabled children. Since becoming an attorney, Rattner has worked pro bono on employee benefit plans for the …
An Adventurer with Heart
Marsha Simms combines wanderlust with a passion for helping othersWhen envisioning the typical banking attorney, the first image that springs to mind is not likely to be a woman camping with cheetahs in Africa. “I am known in the firm for going far away for a long time,” says Marsha Simms, a partner in the corporate department of Weil Gotshal & Manges. Before leaving for vacation each year, a fellow partner asks “how many rolls” her trip will require, and she doesn’t mean film. “I’m generally camping or out in the middle of nowhere, and I …
When Infringement Meets Online Publishing
As books enter the digital space, lawyers must protect authorshipIn the 1990s, as computers and Internet access became household norms, the advent of e-books held the promise of accessing bestsellers with a mouse click. In 2000, Stephen King released a novel exclusively on his Web site. Bibliophiles debated the merits of flat-screen reading versus the tactile pleasure of dog-earing favorite pages. Then, not much happened. Author Concerns Over E-Books “Many authors don’t like the idea of their books being available in e-book form,” says Dale Cendali, …
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