last word
LAWYER Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Liebenberg
Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer
S tudying the Talmud isn’t so diff er-
ent from studying law, according to
lawyer Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Liebenberg.

“Studying the Talmud is, obviously,
arguing about diff erent viewpoints,
which is exactly how you analyze cases,”
she said.

It makes sense, then, that a childhood
interest in studying rabbinical commen-
tary of Jewish guidelines and theology
would give rise to a long career in law.

On Feb. 22, the American Jewish
Committee Philadelphia/Southern
New Jersey honored Congregation
Adath Jeshurun member Liebenberg
with the Judge Learned Hand Award,
which “recognizes the contribu-
tions of outstanding members of the
Philadelphia legal community who have
distinguished themselves through their
professional achievements and commu-
nity leadership,” according to a press
release. Liebenberg, 73, is a partner at Fine,
Kaplan and Black and has represented
both plaintiff s and defendants in antitrust
law cases, working with both those
accused of and harmed by anticompet-
itive conduct, such as price fi xing or
monopolization. In one of her biggest cases, the
Huntingdon Valley resident was a trial
counsel for the plaintiff in In re Urethane
[Polyether Polyols] Antitrust Litigation,
a class-action lawsuit where plain-
tiff s claimed an “unlawful price fi xing
conspiracy.” The class won, and the
court entered a fi nal judgment of $1.06
billion, the largest ever awarded in a
price-fi xing case.

But when she’s not arguing in the
courtroom, Liebenberg is advocating for
her fellow women lawyers, who make up
only 12% of fi rst chair or lead trial lawyers,
according to a 2019 study Liebenberg
28 MARCH 9, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
helped conduct with colleague
Stephanie Sharf through the American
Bar Association. That fi gure is smaller
for antitrust lawyers, as the high stakes
and corporate partnerships create more
barriers for women to become involved.

Liebenberg is the chair of the ABA
Commission on Women in the Profession,
a position she’s held twice and which was
fi rst held by Hillary Clinton. Throughout
her multi-decade law career, her fi ght
to increase the number of women in
the profession — as well as address
systemic inequities — has been at the
forefront of her work.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C,
area, Liebenberg attended a yeshiva
through the ninth grade, where, in the
seventh grade, girls were required to
take a Shulchan Aruch class on how to
run a Jewish home, while boys learned
Talmud. “I sort of channeled my inner ‘Yentl’
and ‘Norma Rae’ and organized the
other girls,” Liebenberg said. “My
parents helped me petition the principal
to open up the [Talmud] class to girls.”
The experience engendered an inter-
est in law, but Liebenberg’s passion in
the fi eld came later, after she graduated
from the University of Michigan with
an undergraduate degree and began
teaching at a “de facto segregated” high
school in southern Maryland. Students
there struggled with reading and writing,
with scores below their grade level.

“Just seeing the lack of resources and
inequalities that my students face on a
daily basis really prompted me to realize
that law can be a very powerful vehicle
for social change,” Liebenberg said.

Liebenberg received her law degree
from Catholic University Columbus
School of Law and began her career in
earnest as a clerk for the United States
Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

She later co-founded and served as
president of the Metropolitan Richmond
Women’s Bar Association.

As she climbed the ranks, Liebenberg
experienced her fair share of antisem-
itism and misogyny in the workplace.

Liebenberg began her career with a
young daughter with whom she traveled,
which she saw as an experience that
built “grit and tenacity.” Her employers
saw it diff erently, with partners at the
fi rms for which she interviewed asking
Liebenberg how many children she
intended to have and what her childcare
arrangements were.

Firms were an old boys’ club,
sometimes hosting events in country
clubs where Black and Jewish people
were not allowed.

“Many of the fi rms had their meetings
at private clubs where women and Black
associates couldn’t enter through the
front door, and so they had to walk
through the kitchen,” Liebenberg said.

Liebenberg has witnessed progress
in the profession since her career’s
beginnings. There’s greater pay equity,
and men in law offi ces are recogniz-
ing disparities and diff erences in treat-
ment. There’s been a cultural shift,
allowing more minority and women
lawyers to speak up if they experience
or witness discrimination. But the work
isn’t anywhere near done, Liebenberg
insisted. “I always say that change is like
heaven, right?” she said. “Everybody
wants to go there, but nobody wants to
die.” ■
srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Fine, Kaplan and Black
HONORED WITH AJC JUDGE LEARNED HAND AWARD