Capehart Scatchard
Capehart Scatchard employees volunteering at Providence House
A culture of giving
As one of the oldest law firms in the state, Capehart Scatchard has promoted justice for the people of South Jersey. For nearly 150 years, the entire team has used the rule of law to support its community.
“We always ensure that we’re giving clients the best results and the most innovative solutions while staying cost efficient,” says Workers’ Compensation Shareholder Ashley Mollenthiel Fiore.
As a workers’ compensation attorney, Mollenthiel Fiore looks out for injured employees and their families. “When a worker is injured on the job, missing time from work can be detrimental not just for an employee, but for their entire family,” she says. “It’s my responsibility to assist companies in providing workers’ compensation benefits for those employees who sustain work-related disabilities. It is my job to ensure that those people feel whole again, as best I can.”
As time has passed, and the full-service, diversified law firm has grown to 85 attorneys practicing throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, it has expanded the definition of justice, says Mollenthiel Fiore. “Having been in the area for such a long time, the community is at the heart of our firm, and we want to support our community beyond the excellent services we provide our clients,” she says. “It’s important for all of us to make time for outreach when we are able, whether it be physical donations or donating our time.”
Years ago, the firm created a Diversity and Inclusion committee (D&I) to better focus their goal to build an inclusive staff that supports the community through advocacy, service and mentorship. The results at the firm have been a culture of giving back and a feeling of togetherness for the staff.
“Whether it’s collecting supplies to donate to a local shelter or asking for volunteers to help with food distribution, our service projects always get an amazing response from employees and have bonded us as a firm,” says Mollenthiel Fiore, who serves as a member of the D&I committee. “It really is special to get to collaborate with people in departments who I might not usually get a chance to work with, especially when the work is this meaningful.”
That spirit of giving back is seen in full force on the firm’s days of service, a project organized quarterly by the D&I committee. Employees volunteer on-site at local non-profits. Last year, the team visited the Providence House near Westampton, a shelter for women and children who have experienced domestic abuse.
“It’s not nearly enough anymore to sit back and hope for the best, we have to get out there and take action.”
Employees donated costumes, pumpkins and toys to families at Providence House
Capehart Scatchard employees painted the gazebo at Providence House
In all, the firm raised $900 and collected pumpkins and costumes that were delivered to the shelter for the families to celebrate Halloween. On the day of service, approximately 30 employees visited the shelter to clean rooms, organize a toy room, garden, paint the site’s gazebo and help with other projects. “The entire Capehart Scatchard team really came together to help the families at Providence House,” says Mollenthiel Fiore.
Throughout the pandemic, the firm has been fortunate enough to continue their service – thanks to many Zoom meetings – says Mollenthiel Fiore. In fact, it shone a light on the need for these service projects. “So many people in our communities were affected by the pandemic, and the work we do to give back became more important than ever. We are happy to be able to continue our partnerships, raise money and goods for local organizations.”
Representation matters
Every time the Capehart Scatchard team heads to a service project, Mollenthiel Fiore considers it much more than lending a helping hand to the community. As a daughter of Haitian immigrants and one of the first in her family to go to law school, she considers the projects an opportunity to be seen by the younger generations of South Jersey.
“The demographics of U.S. attorneys are not representative of the demographics of the U.S. population,” she says. “For many young people in this country, they don’t see themselves represented in the legal field. That can not only be damaging to a child’s self-esteem, but it can be discouraging for any of those children – or even young adults – who might consider joining the profession.”
Mollenthiel Fiore and the D&I committee at Capehart Scatchard work to find the best ways for their teams to show people in South Jersey and beyond the opportunities that are available to them – an effort that became more prevalent in the aftermath of the George Floyd shooting. “In the days following the shooting, I remember thinking, ‘It’s not nearly enough anymore to sit back and hope for the best, we have to get out there and take action,’” says Mollenthiel Fiore.
Since 2020, the committee has prioritized representation not only while recruiting new talent, but also by sharing information about underrepresented populations with employees of the firm through monthly newsletters. They’ve also taken the message directly to South Jersey’s youth.
“Many young people have left the law industry because they felt they didn’t fit in,” she says. “So we’ve partnered with nearby colleges like Rutgers Law School to participate in a mentorship program so we can help students feel that they belong in this field and encourage them to continue with this career, because we need more representation in law.”
The firm also does outreach with students at an earlier age through Camden schools, like providing resources they wouldn’t normally have access to and speaking to classes about the profession. “It’s important to have inclusion in all sectors,” says Mollenthiel Fiore. “We want to reach these students early to show them what is possible for their futures, the changes they can make and the effect they can have on people’s lives.”
