Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts Board of Directors Names New Officers

Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC) welcomed its most recent slate of new board members._x000D_
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“PMC is honored to have such accomplished attorneys join our board,” Deborah Gross, president and CEO of PMC, said. “As PMC moves forward with its expanded focus on civic education and engagement, equal access to justice, judicial modernization and reform, including jury service, affecting every citizen in this Commonwealth, every board member’s voice and unique experience will be critical.”_x000D_
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The new board members are:_x000D_
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Christie Tillapaugh – Dentons Cohen & Grigsby_x000D_
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Tillapaugh is president and CEO of Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, a member firm of Dentons, a global law firm. Tillapaugh has been with the firm since 2008 and is chair of its nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations group. She has 20+ years of experience serving as outside general counsel and providing corporate governance and strategic transaction-related counseling for numerous organizations, including both tax-exempt and for-profit companies. She is recognized as a leading corporate lawyer in the Pittsburgh region’s nonprofit space, having worked on many transformative projects and transactions in the sector, representing an array of community-based and arts-based nonprofit organizations and private foundations._x000D_
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“I look forward to joining the board in its important nonpartisan work to date to help provide important education on the court system and provide resources to help promote inclusion and access to justice,” Tillapaugh said._x000D_
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Marty Black – Dechert – Philadelphia_x000D_
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Black is a partner at Dechert and leads Dechert’s national IP litigation team. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been recognized by his peers as one of the preeminent trial lawyers in North America. He is also an experienced appellate advocate. In SCA Hygiene Products v. First Quality Baby Products, he persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court in a 7 – 1 decision to overturn 100 years of precedent and bar the defense of laches to claims for patent damages.  He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and The University of Chicago Law School, J.D._x000D_
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“I am honored and excited to be joining the PMC Board and look forward to helping PMC carry out its mission of ensuring everyone who participates in Pennsylvanians judicial system is assured impartiality, fairness, accessibility and respect,” Black said._x000D_
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Turahn L. Jenkins – Kraus Jenkins – Pittsburgh_x000D_
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Jenkins was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in Monroeville, PA. In addition to being a practicing attorney, Turahn is also an adjunct law professor at Duquesne University School of Law, a public speaker and a member of the board of viewers.  In 2005, Turahn began his legal career as a law clerk in the Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender. In 2006, he became an assistant district attorney in the Allegheny County Office of the District Attorney. In 2008, Turahn left the office to pursue a career in private practice, focusing on criminal defense.  In 2013, Turahn was hired as the deputy director of pre-trial division for the Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender and was eventually promoted to chief deputy director of the office. In 2018, Turahn pursued a career in politics, running for district attorney of Allegheny County.  In February of 2023, Turahn founded the law firm Kraus Jenkins, focusing on medical malpractice._x000D_
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“I am very grateful to be appointed to the PMC board of directors. I hope that my gifts, talents and many years of experience can aid in advancing the interests of the organization,” Jenkins said._x000D_
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Wesley R. Payne – White and Williams – Philadelphia_x000D_
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Payne is a partner in the litigation department at White and Williams. He is also the immediate past chair of the firm’s diversity committee, chair of the pro bono committee and co-chair of the partners’ compensation committee. Payne is a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers, and an AV Preeminent peer-rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. He has over 35 years of experience representing insurance carriers and insureds in first- and third-party litigation matters. Payne is a past chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, a past Zone 1 governor and minority-at-large governor of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, past president of the board of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN), past president of the Conference of County Bar Leaders, past president of the board of the Bethesda Project, a member of the board of directors of the Homeless Advocacy Project, a past co-president of the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group (PDLG) and a past president of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel (PADC). He was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer as an “Unsung Hero” for his dedication and service to the pro bono community. Payne is the recipient of The Honorable William F. Hall Award, the Huey R. Burkett Service Award, the Multicultural Leadership Award and was most recently named Defense Attorney of the Year by the Pennsylvania Defense Institute. He was also named as one of the “Top 60 African American Attorneys in Philadelphia” by the Philadelphia Tribune. Payne has been selected to City & State Pennsylvania’s 2022 Law Power 100 (39) and City & States Philadelphia’s Power 100 (91) lists. He serves as a judge pro tem for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and teaches for PMC’s Civics Education Program._x000D_
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“I am honored to join the board of PMC,” Payne said. “My favorite part is working with schools on the PMC Civics education programs offered.”