Colinvaux Named a "Top Woman of the Law" by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason LLP is pleased to announce that Partner Catherine Colinvaux was named a "Top Woman of the Law" for 2010 by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

The Top Women of the Law awards celebrate outstanding achievements made by exceptional women and honors those who have made inspiring contributions in fields including pro bono, social justice, advocacy, and business.

"If a “top woman lawyer” is a superb lawyer who teaches, inspires, and motivates, a woman who leads the way and then eases the path for others to follow, a passionate, eloquent advocate for other women, for minorities, for children and community, then that is Catherine," said Zelle Hofmann's Boston Office Managing Partner Karl Vasiloff. "Every day, she manages the sophisticated balancing act required of a professional who is also a mother, a leader and a role model."

Catherine’s extensive civic leadership (Board President for Birthday Wishes, Inc., Board Member for Baseball for All, Inc., Corporator, Collections Committee, for the Worcester Art Museum, Corporator for The Ecotarium, and President of the Massachusetts Reinsurance Bar Association) testifies to her passion for improving the world around her and also to others’ respect for her judgment and advice. But Catherine’s greatest passion may be advancing opportunity for other women and for minority lawyers.

In 2006, Catherine was asked to head the firm's diversity program. From 2006-2009, in addition to her practice, Catherine devoted hundreds of hours to designing and implementing a cutting-edge diversity initiative. In addition to “on the ground,” one-on-one mentoring of all of the firm’s female and minority associates and acting as their internal advocate, Catherine introduced fundamental advances in firm diversity culture and programming, including:

• A $100,000 program for diversity outreach;
• Zealous Women, a website celebrating women in dispute resolution and supporting female business development;
• A “diversity” seat at firm management meetings; and
• Billable credit for certain diversity contributions.

The Top Women of the Law awards event will take place on Friday, December 3, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Westin Copley Place Hotel in Boston. For additional information on this event, please click here.