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Attorney By Attorney Career Profiles of the Profession Who? Joan M. Haratani Partner jharatani@shb.com What? Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields: Business litigation, products liability litigation, pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. When? Years in Practice Area: Since 1984 Years in the Legal Profession: Since 1984 Where? Employer: Shook, Hardy, & Bacon www.shb.com Size/Sector: 600 plus for the firm in general, 30 plus for the San Francisco office City/State: San Francisco, CA Law School: University of California at Davis Undergraduate School/Degree: St. John's College, BA Why? Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: Products liability and commercial litigation. Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area: Excellent written and oral skills. Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area: This is a fun and challenging field, stick with it and do the best job you possibly can. A can do attitude and a smile will get you through the day. How? Career Path to Current Position: 1984 to 2002: Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May (Chair of Diversity Committee, 1999-2001; Partner, 1990-2002; Oakland, California); 2002 to Date: Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. Influences and Mentors: Shakespeare, Chaucer and the bible. Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area: Anything non-fiction about the law! Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position(s): OCI's, interviews through networking. Bar Affiliations and Activities: A member of the Defense Research Institute 2002 Board of the Bar Association of San Francisco and of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Northern California. Recent Past President of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, which is one of the country's largest local minority bar groups Former Advisory Committee Member of the ABA Conference on Minority Law Firm Partners and Majority-Corporate Law Firms Recognized as one of the 500 most influential Asian Americans by Avenue Asia Magazine. Currently the co-chair of committees in both the ABA Tort and Insurance Practice & Science and Technology Sections. One of "California's Top Rainmakers" in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2001 (California Law Business). Recent Professional Presentations: I have done so many - they are all fun and memorable. Memorable Career Moment: Anything involving a hard fought success that makes the client happy. Intriguing Interests: Ice climbing and Ironman triathlons.