ATLANTA (December 5, 2016) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Partner Leah Ward Sears is featured in Balancing the Scales, a documentary on American women lawyers.

Balancing the Scales, an insightful documentary by attorney/filmmaker Sharon Rowen, explores the history of women in law, what has changed in the last 50 years, and what is happening with young women lawyers today. Topics range from discrimination to work life balance, what it takes to become a partner in today’s firms, and what we need to change for women to break the glass ceiling and really have a seat at the table where society wide decisions are made. Ms. Rowen, a personal injury and probate lawyer in Atlanta, has been conducting interviews for the film for 20 years.

Along with former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Sears, the film features pioneers like Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, civil rights advocate Gloria Allred and other prominent attorneys and judges to younger women starting their career.

Ms. Sears is a Partner in SGR’s Litigation Practice. Among her many roles, she is an appellate lawyer, oral advocate and strategist, in addition to often serving as a neutral in arbitration proceedings and mediations. Ms. Sears was the first woman and youngest person ever to sit on Georgia’s Supreme Court when she was appointed in 1992. She was also the first woman to hold a position on the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia.

About Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP

SGR is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s 200 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 45 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, construction and employment law. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Jacksonville, New York, Washington, D.C. and Frankfurt, Germany.