Erica Holzer and Tom Pack Co-Author Article on Gender-Inclusive Legal Writing for DRI's Raising the Bar Newsletter

Erica Holzer and Tom Pack, attorneys in Maslon's Litigation Group, have co-authored an article, titled "Inclusion in Practice: Gender-Inclusive Legal Writing and Communications (Or Why 'Dear Sir or Madam' Must Go)," for the Defense Research Institute's (DRI) Raising the Bar newsletter—the newsletter of DRI's Young Lawyers Committee. The article provides practical and concrete steps towards inclusive legal writing, including revising outdated greetings, eliminating under-inclusive pronouns, using a singular third person pronoun, and communicating pronoun preferences in emails.

Erica represents clients in complex commercial disputes primarily in the areas of tort and product liability, consumer fraud, business torts, and breach of contract actions. Erica's product liability defense work spans many industries, with particular experience in FDA-approved medical devices, representing a major medical device manufacturer in federal and state courts throughout the country. She has also developed specialized experience providing advice and compliance support to government contractors and companies on public law issues, particularly state and federal open records laws, including the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Tom represents businesses in product liability matters and in other complex business litigation. He helps clients navigate all stages of the litigation process throughout many forums, including federal and state courts, mediation, and arbitration. Tom has extensive experience with discovery, including eDiscovery, and has prepared successful dispositive motions in several matters. He also maintains an active pro bono practice in the civil rights and immigration law fields, with an emphasis on representing LGBTQ+ asylum seekers.

At Maslon, both Erica and Tom are active members of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and founding members of Maslon's Diverse Attorneys Resource Group, which provides resources, mentoring, support, community, and engagement opportunities to attorneys of color and LGBTQ+ attorneys at Maslon.

To read the article, go to: Inclusion in Practice: Gender-Inclusive Legal Writing and Communications (or Why "Dear Sir or Madam" Must Go).