Laura Ellsworth is Jones Day's first head of Global Community Service Initiatives, spearheading the Firm's rule of law initiatives around the world. In her litigation practice she has handled landmark public nuisance cases, multijurisdictional product liability matters, the largest health care bankruptcy of its time, and nationwide qui tam cases. She served on the Local Rules Advisory Committee for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and in 2013-2014 was co-chair of the Federal Judicial Selection Committee for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Laura has been active in civic and community affairs, serving in leadership roles on the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, and the United Way Women's Leadership Council. Governor Rendell named her one of Pennsylvania's Top Businesswomen, and Governor Corbett appointed her to serve on the boards of the Pennsylvania State System for Higher Education, Pennsylvania Council on Privatization and Innovation, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. She has served on public company and civic/charitable boards, including FNB Corporation, Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation, Imani Christian Academy, Heinz History Center, Waynesburg University, McCune Foundation, and University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics. Laura has taught law classes in inner-city schools and conducted two Lawyers Without Borders programs in Nairobi, Kenya.
Laura's civic contributions have been recognized numerous times including the 2013 ATHENA Award, 2014 Pennsylvania Diversity Council's Most Powerful & Influential Women Award, the 2016 Legal Intelligencer's Lifetime Achievement Award, and a 2022 Legal Intelligencer's "Unsung Heroes" Award. In 2024, she received the Righteous Among Neighbors award and the Pursuer of Peace award for her work in founding The Eradicate Hate Global Summit.
執業經驗
著作
- Spring 2017
 Teaching Peaceful Protesting, Best Lawyers: Spring Business Edition 2017
- September 28, 2017
 Minority and Women Lawyers' Business Development Forum, Pennsylvania Bar Association
- September 21, 2017
 Past, Present and Future, Great Lakes Relocation Conference
- April 22, 2017
 L3 Leadership Breakfast
- November 18, 2016
 Greater Pittsburgh Non-Profit Partnership Annual Meeting – Perspectives on Election 2016
- November 17, 2016
 National Conversation on Board Diversity – Women on Boards 20/20 (Facilitator)
- November 11, 2016
 Jones Day/ABA VetLex Veterans Day Event – launch of first national pro bono lawyer-referral system for U.S. veterans created by Jones Day and American Bar Association
- November 9, 2016
 Allegheny Conference on Community Development Annual Meeting
- October 19, 2016
 AON Risk Management, Women Empowered
- September 14, 2016
 Allegheny Conference on Community Development Third Quarter Regional Investors Council Luncheon
- June 20, 2016
 Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable
- April 5, 2016
 National Association of Professional Women, Professional Diversity Network – Power Networking
- March 24, 2016
 Elsie Hillman Civic Engagement Program (Community Mentor) – "Never A Spectator"
- March 4, 2016
 Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation – Greater Pittsburgh Community Leaders 2016 Prayer Breakfast
- November 19, 2015
 The National Conversation on Board Diversity, Why and How Do Winning Companies Recruit to Maximize Board Effectiveness?, 2020 Women on Boards event
- November 17, 2015
 Magee Movement – Advocating funding of scientific research in women’s health
- October 22 2015
 Smart People Take Smart Risks, Pennsylvania Diversity Council
- October 15, 2015
 2015 Regional Energy Conference: Navigating Turbulences in Global Oil & Gas Markets
- September 23, 2014
 Young Professional Women in Energy (YPWE) Quarterly Event
- July 25, 2014
 Jones Day Regional Energy Conference, International Implications of the Marcellus and Utica Shale
- June 9, 2014
 Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable
- May 19, 2014
 Waynesburg University Commencement Speaker
- October 11, 2013
 Athena Award Acceptance
- May 13, 2013
 Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable
- February 14, 2013
 Jones Day Regional Energy Conference, Harnessing Regional Opportunity in the new Energy Economy
- November 2012
 Accomplishments and Strategic Plan of the Organization, Annual Meeting of the Allegheny Conference on Community and Economic Development
- March 25, 2010
 2010 Speaker Series: Climate Change and Renewable Energy
- November 12, 2009
 Litigation Potpourri
- October 2007
 Ediscovery Update, PLAC Annual Meeting
- January 31, 2007
 Proven Strategies for Successfully Managing the Demands of a Law Practice and Personal Life, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE program
- May 2006
 E-Discovery: An Outline of Legal Issues, Association of Corporate Counsel of Western Pennsylvania, Laura Ellsworth and Cecilia Dickson
- June 9, 2005
 The Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on Nonprofit Organizations, Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon
- April 24-25, 2003
 Electronic Discovery
- University of Pittsburgh (J.D. magna cum laude 1983; Order of the Coif; University Scholar; Law Review); Princeton University (B.A. 1980)
- Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia magazine: 50 Top Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania - The Best Lawyers in America (commercial litigation), including a 2017 Lawyer of the Year in class action/mass tort - Recognized as a "leader in their field" by Chambers USA, a "leader in the law" by the Legal Intelligencer, and one of Pennsylvania's top female litigators by Pennsylvania Law Weekly - 2018 Coleman Award for excellence in community service, Institute of Politics, University of Pittsburgh 
