Partnering with organizations to assess and address sexual misconduct

vestry laight

At Vestry Laight, we have been reckoning with culture and inclusion and the aftermath of sexual misconduct for decades — long before these issues dominated national headlines. Vestry Laight’s partners have experience as trauma-informed investigators, in-house corporate litigators, prosecutors, inclusion strategy consultants, gender equity and human rights advocates and crisis management advisors. Our expertise enables us to offer pragmatic solutions for rebuilding trust following a crisis and serve as independent monitors to ensure meaningful changes are made in the aftermath of litigation. We help public and private organizations respond to and resolve workplace misconduct and gender-related issues before they escalate.

what we do

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Workplace and Organizational Assessments

Organizational Culture Change and Transformation

Sexual Misconduct Investigations

Consulting Expert in Litigation

External Oversight and Monitorship

Communications Strategy

Board Advisory

Executive Coaching

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Why We are Different

We are experts in improving institutional response to sexual misconduct and strengthening culture.

We have established credibility
with survivors and advocates.

We are trusted advisors to leading organizations on workplace issues.

Vestry Laight is distinctive because we have extensive experience conducting sexual misconduct investigations in high-pressure situations and have credibility derived from a history of developing solutions to improve treatment of victims in many settings. We have been trusted advisors to leading organizations on complex diversity and inclusion challenges as well as litigation matters. Our experience cuts across the private, public and non-profit sectors.

Who We Are

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Sara Darehshori

PRINCIPAL

Darehshori is an expert in highly sensitive sexual abuse investigations. Darehshori has decades of experience conducting difficult investigations in highly-charged situations where victims and witnesses are reluctant to talk. She has developed effective strategies to improve response to sexual misconduct and prevent abuse in a variety of contexts, including the US military and police departments. She has worked with hundreds of survivors from rape victims in Rwanda and Bosnia, to service members, veterans, college students, and undocumented immigrants in the US.

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Brande Stellings

PRINCIPAL

An expert on workplace inclusion and women’s advancement, Stellings combines her experience as a litigator, diversity and inclusion consultant and lifelong advocate for women’s equity to help build organizations that work for everybody. She conducts culture assessments, serves as a monitor, acts as a litigation consulting expert and provides executive coaching. Stellings has held senior roles in both the private and public sectors at Catalyst, NBC and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. She previously led the consulting department at Catalyst, partnering with CEOs, senior executives and board directors of leading companies to advance women and promote inclusion in the workplace and the boardroom.

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Silda Palerm

PRINCIPAL

Palerm is a seasoned corporate litigator and a leading advocate for women. She was Head of Litigation at Warner Music Group for more than a decade and has been the Chair of New York City Commission on Gender Equity for the last eight years. Palerm was also the Legal Director of Legal Momentum. She has been on the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of New York City, and of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. She was Chair of the Board of Directors of Violence Intervention Program and has been on the Board of Directors of The New York Women’s Foundation, John Jay College Foundation, MFY Legal Services, and the Puerto Rican Women’s Foundation. Her experience in the corporate world combined with her work on behalf of women gives her unique insight into handling workplace investigations.

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Maureen Garrity

PRINCIPAL

Maureen Garrity is an award-winning crisis communications and public affairs specialist who has counseled Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, private educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Garrity brings media, corporate, government affairs and agency experience. She has a track record of developing successful strategic internal and external communications and helping leaders communicate in times of crisis. Garrity’s crisis skills helped overturn a federal policy that discriminated against children in the allocation of adult donor lungs.

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news

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Jun 21, 2024

Brande Stellings Joins PLI for ESG Discussion on DEI in Companies

Brande Stellings spoke at the Practicing Law Institute’s ESG 2024: What It Means for Boards, Management and Counsel. Joined by Mylan Denerstein, Egwu Nwankpah and Steven Pearlman, Brande and the panel discussed the impact of the Supreme Court’s Harvard admissions case on DEI programming and initiatives in the corporate world.

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Jun 21, 2024

May 16, 2024

Federal Bar Council Panel Discusses Effective Institutional Monitoring

Brande Stellings joined a panel moderated by the Hon. Loretta A. Preska: Insight on Oversight: The Dynamics of Effective Institutional Monitoring. The panel was hosted at the offices of BLB&G, sponsored by the Federal Bar Council and the Beyond #MeToo Working Group, and included panelists Rebecca Boon, Lev Dassin and Katya Jestin, and was organized with the help of Carrie Cohen.

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May 16, 2024

May 9, 2024

Vestry Laight Engaged by the United States Biathlon Association

The U.S. Biathlon Athlete Health and Safety Task Force has engaged Vestry Laight to review and assess the organization’s athlete safety measures and provide recommendations to strengthen the oversight and safeguards that promote an environment where athletes feel safe and supported.

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May 9, 2024