Nancy Abell Honored with AJC’s Learned Hand Award

September 27, 2016

LOS ANGELES – Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that Nancy Abell, a partner in the firm’s Employment Law practice, was honored with the Learned Hand Award by the Los Angeles chapter of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

The award was presented at AJC’s 36th Annual Learned Hand Award Dinner on September 22, 2016. Dinner Committee Chairs included Seth Zachary, chair of Paul Hastings, and his wife Nancy; Morgan and Helen Chu; and Bruce and Madeline Ramer. United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) was the Honorary Dinner Chair.

The Learned Hand Award was established by AJC in memory of Judge Learned Hand, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1924 to 1951. Judge Hand was famous for an extensive range of decisions in over 2,000 cases. The Learned Hand Award is presented to outstanding leaders in the legal profession who exemplify the principles for which Judge Learned Hand was renowned.

A Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Ms. Abell has been the prevailing lead counsel in very high-stakes cases that have contributed to employment discrimination class action law. The National Law Journal recognized Ms. Abell as one of "The Decade's [40] Most Influential Lawyers” and as one of 50 “Litigation Trailblazers & Pioneers” who have changed the practice of litigation through the use of innovative legal strategies.
In 2015, Ms. Abell and Michelle Banks, then General Counsel of The Gap, co-founded the UCLA Law Women LEAD initiative to proactively advance the careers of women in the legal profession on a global basis.
At Paul Hastings, our purpose is clear — to help our clients and people navigate new paths to growth. With a strong presence throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., Paul Hastings is recognized as one of the world’s most innovative global law firms.