Women’s Leadership & Gender Equality

As a woman-owned law firm and a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise, KSB Law is extremely active in all areas of women’s leadership and gender equality. KSB Law’s attorneys are well-recognized leaders in the legal profession. Our attorneys are involved in various efforts supporting the advancement and retention of women in the law.

Prior to starting KSB Law 18 years ago, Managing Partner, Kirsten S. Branigan, spent her first 10 years practicing law at a large New Jersey law firm. She led the revitalization of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (NJWLA) in 2006 (which was on the brink of disbanding). She has helped the organization grow to its present robust membership as one of the leading bar associations in New Jersey.

KSB Law attorneys remain active as leaders of the NJWLA and have served other organizations, including the Supreme Court Committee on Women in the Courts. They have received recognition and awards for their leadership work. They frequently speak and write about issues involving sexual harassment prevention, gender equality, mindfulness, and women’s leadership.


ADVANCEMENT & RETENTION

  • WOMEN’S INITIATIVES

  • DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION STRATEGIES

  • TRANSPARENT COMPENSATION POLICIES

KSB Law can assist firms in building effective and data-focused women’s leadership initiatives and strategies to address challenges surrounding the advancement and retention of women and under-represented attorneys. This work includes education and consulting about Mansfield Rule Certification and advancing transparent compensation policies.

In 2023, KSB Law will be collaborating with Professor Penny Venetis and the Rutgers Law School International Human Rights Clinic to launch an exciting study surrounding the advancement and retention of women in the law challenges in New Jersey, which will include developing a survey, collecting data, and holding focus groups with key stakeholders. The goal of this study is to produce a robust report and action plan for success. Most recently, KSB Law provided contributions to the August 2022 Report issued by the Rutgers Center for Women and Work, entitled: Women In Private Law Firms: Slow Progress on Equality of Promotion and Compensation. KSB Law was also a Founding Member in a study by the Rutgers Center for Women and Work and the New Jersey Gender Parity Council that focused on challenges with respect to retention of women in the law.


SAFE WORKPLACES IN NJ POLITICS

In 2022, KSB Law contributed to the creation of an educational video for a project entitled Safe Workplaces in New Jersey Politics which covered topics such as sexual assault, harassment, and bias prevention. This project was developed by the YWCA of Northern New Jersey and funded by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. The goal is to raise awareness on these important topics and protecting women and marginalized individuals in the political arena. The educational video was distributed to campaigns and legislators in June 2022. KSB Law routinely participates in discussions about safe spaces and violence-free workplaces.


DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

KSB Law provides Consulting and Training support in the critical area of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the private and public sectors. Diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces contribute to the success of organizations. Some key areas in which the Firm can provide support to organizations are: Audits, Culture & Workplace Climate Assessments, DEI Initiatives, and DEI Training.


HARASSMENT, DISCRIMINATION, RETALIATION PREVENTION & CIVILITY/BYSTANDER INTERVENTION

The Firm provides training and policy/procedure consulting in the areas of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace based upon a variety of legally protected categories under federal, state, and local laws. Additionally, the Training is designed to promote bystander intervention, civility, and respect in the workplace. Legal requirements continue to expand in this area. It is key for employers to ensure that employees are protected from unlawful and inappropriate conduct, afforded safe and comfortable workplaces, and educated to know what is prohibited by policy and under the law. The most meaningful ways that employers can prevent unlawful conduct is by implementing effective policies and procedures and by conducting live, interactive training.


UNCONSCIOUS BIAS & CULTURAL AWARENESS

KSB Law provides support in the important area of Unconscious/Implicit Bias & Cultural Awareness. Unconscious/implicit biases can unknowingly distort the objective evaluation and treatment of those who are different from us. Microaggressions and microinequities can demean and stereotype individuals of historically marginalized groups. Attorneys and staff can learn to appreciate how their backgrounds influence their interactions with each other within the workplace and how their own cultural experiences shape who they are and how they see the world. The Firm offers a thought-provoking and impactful Training Program focused on understanding implicit/unconscious bias and cultural awareness. These topics are highly relevant given the current legal and social landscape, including a number of social justice movements.


MINDFULNESS & WELL BEING

The Firm provides mindfulness and well-being Coaching and Training for organizations, including law firms and individual attorneys. These sessions also emphasize work-life balance and flexibility as key components to healthy and productive work environments. Attorneys at KSB Law offer the unique experience of Coaching and Training on both mental and physical well-being and are involved in leadership roles and efforts at the state and national levels to further prioritize these areas.


EQUAL PAY AUDITS

KSB Law conducts Equal Pay Act (EPA) Audits for compliance and remediation that include complex issues such as law firm compensation. EPA Audits are important self-evaluation tools for employers to identify and remediate compensation disparities and to modify existing policies and practices that result in pay disparities. The audit process provides the opportunity to correct and resolve existing issues before lawsuits are filed and can help limit potential exposure and damages and ensure pay equity.