Gibbons Women Attorneys Saluted for Their Contributions to Diversity

Gibbon P.C. congratulates Bisola A. Taiwo and Kristin D. Sostowski on being selected, respectively, among the “Women Worth Watching” for 2023 by Profiles in Diversity Journal (PDJ) and as a Diverse Attorney of the Year by the New Jersey Law Journal (NJLJ).

PDJ’s “Women Worth Watching” recognizes “the dynamic women who are using their talents and influence to enhance [their] workplace and change our world.” Ms. Taiwo, a Director at the firm, concentrates her legal practice in the area of Real Property, bringing a wealth of experience in redevelopment projects, affordable housing, and more. When she is not practicing law, she provides guidance and support to both colleagues in the legal profession and underrepresented children in the local community. She mentors fledgling attorneys and speaks to law students at her law school alma mater about real estate law and policy issues. Her community involvement includes serving as a mentor for many years with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, which she continues to support monetarily and in other ways. Ms. Taiwo also remains actively engaged with professional organizations that promote diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, including the Garden State Bar Association and The Association of Black Women Attorneys of New Jersey.

She joins fellow Gibbons attorneys Christine A. Amalfe, Kim M. Catullo, Jennifer A. Hradil, Susan L. Nardone, Camille V. Otero, Jennifer Phillips Smith, Natasha Songonuga, and Ms. Sostowski in receiving this accolade.

Ms. Sostowski, a Director in Gibbon’s Employment & Labor Law Group, is among 14 honorees across the New Jersey legal community to be named an NJLJ Diverse Attorney of the Year, all of whom “share a passion for and commitment to the law, and to advancing the legal profession.” Ms. Sostowski has championed women’s advancement in the legal profession and under the law throughout her career. She served on the board of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), the nation’s oldest professional organization devoted to the interests and progress of women lawyers and women’s legal rights, from 2011-2021, including a term as President from 2019-2020. Since completing her decade-long tenure on NAWL’s board, Ms. Sostowski has continued her work to further NAWL’s mission through several formal roles and as an informal advisor to NAWL’s leadership. She has also been a member of the board of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, serving in a variety of leadership roles over the past 15 years.

At Gibbons, Ms. Sostowski has played a critical role in internal diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She led Gibbons’s participation in the 2022-2023 Mansfield Certification process and now spearheads the 2023-2024 process. (Gibbons recently achieved Mansfield Certification, a distinguished designation in the legal field that acknowledges the firm’s commitment to ensuring all firm attorneys and employees have a fair and equal opportunity to advance into leadership.) Ms. Sostowski has also been integral to the firm’s award-winning Gibbons Women’s Initiative (GWI) and is slated to become chair of GWI effective January 2024. Since its founding in 1997, GWI has provided opportunities for women attorneys to join together in educational and social programs that foster mentoring, networking, and business development opportunities.