Interview by Tanuja M. Dehne
Edited by Soodabeh N. Jaffari, RPh
Katayun Jaffari is my colleague, mentor, friend, and soul sister. I am honored to share her journey to becoming the 98th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. While Kathy and I have spent many hours together enjoying each other's company as friends and working with each other working as colleagues, I had the chance to sit down with Kathy and inquire about her inspirations, passions, vision, and call to action in service to the Philadelphia Bar Association. I am thrilled to share the transcript of our time together.
Tanuja Dehne: Let’s start from the beginning. Who is Kathy Jaffari?
Kathy Jaffari: I am a Philadelphian and a Philadelphia lawyer. I am a proud first-generation American of immigrant parents raised in the far Northeast in a row home. I am also a proud product of the Philadelphia public school system (George Washington High School) and a graduate of Temple University, where I completed my BBA and MBA with honors. After receiving my JD from George Washington School of Law, I came home to be with my family. I am passionate, friendly, energetic, a dreamer, loud, talkative, and full of love and life, with a strong desire to give back to society.
Dehne: We have been a part of each other’s lives for a long time. As I look back on our three decades as friends and colleagues, one thread that connects us so deeply is our experience as children of immigrants, the impact and integration of our cultural heritage on our lives, and, most profoundly, the love and devotion of our families. I know your family is your whole life, and your parents were your best friends. Tell me how they have inspired you.
Jaffari: My life and career goals have always been to make my parents proud and to contribute to society and help others, as my father used to say. My parents instilled in me a strong work ethic and a commitment to service. As immigrants from Iran, my parents sacrificed their homes and their families to be in a country where they believed their daughters would be treated equally and fairly and have a better life. They believed in the opportunities and freedoms that the United States could afford all people.
I know that the life of an immigrant is not easy. I watched firsthand as my parents struggled through the years – all for me and my sister. My sister and I know too well what it means to be different – with a foreign name and culture. But my parents strove to protect us. Like many immigrants, if not all, my parents suffered through a lack of acceptance. Even though my father, a medical doctor, was recruited to the United States as a result of a lack of American physicians, he experienced a lack of respect. And my mother experienced discrimination based on her English language skills. They both, however, persevered. They taught us to work hard, care for each other, and care for those around us, all while contributing to society and their community. With pride in their voices, my parents always said they were grateful to be in a country where their daughters could speak their minds and raise their voices – especially in response to indignities or injustices either around them or in the world. They encouraged us always to do so. As proud as I am to be an American, I am just as proud of my parents’ heritage which made them who they were. My parents also believed that service to your community and society is the highest calling and most rewarding duty. This principle has guided me throughout my career as a first-generation lawyer. My parents inspired me to think about how I can help someone who needs a helping hand, how I can speak for the voiceless, and how I can stand for those who cannot stand for themselves. So, through all of my work and volunteering, I have tried to do so. While they are no longer with us, and I miss them every single moment of every day, I strive to spend my life continuing to make them proud.
Dehne: I understand where your calling has come from because I have seen you dedicate your entire career to service. In all of your professional endeavors, including as a legal advocate and community leader, you have demonstrated a bias toward action and a keen ability to listen, engage, and empower others to create, build, and support initiatives; I am the witness to the work you have done as a champion of the voices of others. How has being a lawyer allowed you to fulfill this deep desire to help and stand for others?
Jaffari: As lawyers, we stand for the rule of law, but not all people have access to justice. One of the most rewarding aspects of our legal profession is our ability to give back to our community through civic and charitable organizations and providing that access. Philadelphia is tremendously rich with these incredible organizations. I believe my legal education and working as a lawyer is a privilege, one which I do not take lightly. With this privilege comes a duty that I have tried to fulfill with my pro bono work as an advocate for children, immigrants, and communities in need. I have volunteered for legal aid organizations in the city, including Philadelphia VIP and the Support Center for Child Advocates, where I have represented abused and neglected children for more than 26 years. I will never forget my first SCCA clients – sisters, two and four years old who were left at a shelter. While the four-year-old was cautious and reserved, the two-year-old ran into my arms without a word; I will never forget the squeeze of that child craving love and protection. The children I have advocated for have been the most important clients of my career.
Dehne: Kathy, over the last three decades, you have been a trusted advisor, educator, and mentor to many, including me. Who are your mentors, and why is mentoring so important to you?
Jaffari: I love mentoring and teaching – not because I want to impart my knowledge to others, but because I learn so much from those I mentor or teach. Countless people championed me throughout my career and helped me serve my clients. My mentors came from my law firms, and I am grateful that I found three incredible law firms: Saul Ewing, Ballard Spahr, and Cozen O'Connor. Each one let me be me and that was the key. I worked hard and practiced the way I wanted to practice, even if it didn’t look like the way everyone else practiced and even if I didn’t look like I fit a certain mold.
As for my most cherished mentors, well, to no surprise, they are my parents. My father always said that if you love what you’re doing, you’re not working. My mother always told me to reach for the stars and know I could do anything. She gave me the strength to do all that I wanted to do. Thanks to them, I have reached for the stars; and while not always getting them, it has been in the reaching where I have found my life lessons and greatest fulfillment.
Dehne: You are about to become the 98th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. I know that your countless and varied experiences will make you an incredible leader and advocate for the bar association’s members. I want to share all that you have done to get to this place. You are lucky my friend; this is not a question but rather an attempt to summarize some of your many accomplishments!
As a corporate governance lawyer and business advisor to all types of organizations, including for‑profit and non-profit entities, Kathy knows business. Kathy also knows how effective organizations must run to thrive, not just survive. She has represented clients in multimillion dollar transactions and has advised boards of fortune 500 companies to local enterprises. While knowing that she always wanted to be a business lawyer, Kathy educated herself through the court system by interning at the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals for Chief Judge Dolores Sloviter, as well as clerking for Judge Moody R. Tidwell III of the Court of Federal Claims. Kathy understood that to represent her clients, she must understand the fundamental basis of our justice system, the judiciary. This experience, combined with her pro bono practice in the courtroom as a child advocate, gives her some perspective into the challenges and needs of litigators. Couple this with her almost 30 years of experience advising corporations as a business lawyer, Kathy has the experience to be a successful leader.
In addition, Kathy’s volunteer experiences, as well as her accolades, are countless. Kathy’s roles at the Bar Association, in addition to the Chancellor-Elect and Vice Chancellor roles, have included Chair of the Board of Governors, Chair of the Business Law Section, Co-Chair of the Women’s Rights Committee, and countless other vice-chair roles and leadership roles of committees and subcommittees of the Association. Kathy is the one who envisioned and brought wellness to the Bar Association as a focus almost 10 years ago before lawyers were talking about it. I remember when she brought yoga to Saul Ewing, where we both worked 25 years ago, because I’m the one who introduced her to her first yoga class at the urging of her mother, a very spiritual woman, who said she would need to find a way to find peace and calm amid a stressful profession like the law.
She has been special corporate counsel to DirectWomen, a non-profit organization committed to advancing women lawyers on boards, and Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee of the American Bar Association, where she created a subcommittee on sustainability and ESG. Kathy has served on countless boards of directors both nationally and locally including, to name a few, the Committee of Seventy which she worked on projects including the creation of the Commerce Court; the Forum of Executive Women, where she created the board education series; Maternity Care Coalition; InterAct Theatre Company, and the National Scleroderma Foundation. I personally know one of her most cherished boards was her service on the Support Center for Child Advocates board, which she ultimately led as president. She was an early member of Impact 100 and has served as an advisor and ambassador for the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Arts & Business Council, and has volunteered for initiatives such as Philadelphia Reads, LegalLine, and KidsCAP. She just doesn’t stop.
Kathy has been recognized for her expertise and volunteerism; I can’t list them all, but here are a few: Kathy has been honored by the Philadelphia Bar Association with the Dennis H. Replansky Memorial Award, Best of the Bar Award for the Women’s Rights Committee, Committee of the Year Award as Chair of the Business Law Section, and Chair of the Year Award as Chair of the BLS’s Small Business Committee. She has received the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best of the Bar Award, Woman of Distinction Award, and 40 Under 40 Award. Kathy has been named a distinguished advocate of the Support Center for Child Advocates, a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in securities and corporate finance, a SmartCEO Legal Elite, and a SmartCEO Center of Influence Award finalist. Kathy has received the Adjunct Teaching Award for Excellence in the Classroom, Legal Studies, from the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University. She is a recipient of the Lawyers on the Fast Track distinction. She has been honored for pro bono work by Pennsylvania’s First Judicial District and named to the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. Universities have sought out Kathy to create and teach courses from pre-law at Temple University to sustainability at the master’s level at Drexel University.
Now, here is your question. I know you have the depth of experience and the leadership skills to fulfill any commitment you make because I have seen firsthand how you do it. So, what are your commitments for the Bar Association in 2025?
Jaffari: We live in a world where the rule of law and justice are being challenged. As lawyers, we have a duty to uphold the rule of law and support those who have been stripped of their rights by the politicization of our legal system. I will represent the Philadelphia Bar Association and the profession in raising our voices to uphold the rule of law and justice and to defend democracy. If and when federal policy changes that puts our Philadelphia residents in challenging and troubling situations, I will lead our Association to accept those challenges, and we will mobilize the resources that will be needed to help in such a way that we are protecting our community and the Constitution. The safety and protection of our judges and lawyers will be at the forefront of our mission. We will continue to champion diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in our profession while providing opportunities for our members to serve Philadelphia through pro bono opportunities. We will also create a profession where lawyers feel that they can build a career they love while being able to focus on their wellness and their families.
I believe that organizations thrive when their members thrive. I am committed to being a responsive and inclusive leader who listens first and then engages and empowers the membership, advocating for the desires and needs of our members. I am committed to leaving each person feeling seen and heard because I know what it feels like when you are not because of my gender and my parents’ culture. I want us to be a collective where we unite to champion the rule of law, empower equity, diversity, inclusivity, and belonging, and bring more compassion and love into our community.
Dehne: I am grateful to you, Kathy, for always giving me the space to be heard and seen. So now what do you do for fun?
Jaffari: My greatest joy, as you know, is my family, starting with my twin nieces, Amina and Yasmeen Pasierb. We go to concerts, the theatre, and spas; we love traveling together, including to yoga retreats! Same with my sister, Soodabeh; we spent years seeing the world together, along with my mother. They were my two greatest travel companions until my nieces and my life partner came along. As for my life partner, Fee Sepahi – he is my champion and my love. Our road trips keep me going, and adventures hiking, running, bicycling, and riding our motorcycle keep me on my toes. It’s my time with him and his daughter Nicki as well as the rest of our families that brings joy and fun to my life!
Tanuja M. Dehne is an independent director and chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee at Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc.
