Publications and Presentations

Offit Kurman Sponsors Yale Club of Philadelphia Presentation Featuring Architect Stephen Kieran

July 14, 2025
Offit Kurman Sponsors Yale Club of Philadelphia Presentation Featuring Architect Stephen Kieran

Offit Kurman and firm attorneys Matt D’Annunzio and Ray Agran, were excited to sponsor a presentation hosted by the Yale Club of Philadelphia, featuring renowned architect Stephen Kieran, FAIA, of KieranTimberlake. The event, held on June 11, offered a comprehensive retrospective of the firm’s four decades of innovative work in architecture, research, and urban planning.

Kieran’s presentation, delivered to a distinguished audience of Yale alumni and design professionals, highlighted KieranTimberlake’s guiding philosophy—a culture of inquiry that informs every project. From the cutting-edge design of the U.S. Embassy in London to the development of affordable, prefabricated housing in India, Kieran shared how intellectual curiosity and sustainability are at the core of the firm’s work.

The second half of the evening focused on the deep architectural ties between Philadelphia and Yale University. Kieran reflected on the lasting influence of architect Louis Kahn, responsible for masterworks at Yale, whose teaching shaped his early perspective during his time as a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania. He detailed the firm’s transformative contributions to Yale’s campus, including the renewal of six residential colleges and the design of a new arts building.

These milestones, Kieran explained, helped establish the practice’s reputation and laid the foundation for its prominent role in shaping Philadelphia’s urban landscape-- most notably through projects along the Market Street corridor, including Schuylkill Yards, Dilworth Park, and the new I-95 cap project now under construction.

Steve, Matt and Ray are Yale Alumni. Matt and Offit Kurman serve as Corporate Counsel for KieranTimberlake.  

Offit Kurman is honored to support conversations that bridge architecture, innovation, and community development. We extend our thanks to Stephen Kieran and the Yale Club of Philadelphia for an engaging and insightful evening.

Firm Highlights

  • Blog Posts
    Law, Love, and Life's Battles: Facing Breast Cancer
    What happens to a marriage and a family when a breast cancer diagnosis changes everything? In this episode of Love Ends, Law Begins, hosts Fara Rodriguez and Stephanie Lehman have a deeply personal conversation about breast cancer, marriage, family, and the challenges that can come with a serious illness. This episode is especially meaningful for Fara, who shares her own recent breast cancer diagnosis and journey. She opens up about discovering a lump, receiving her diagnosis, undergoing a double mastectomy and subsequent treatments, and navigating the emotional impact of cancer while continuing to work and care for her family. Fara and Stephanie discuss how a cancer diagnosis can affect a marriage in unexpected ways—from changing family roles and creating new caregiving responsibilities to putting pressure on finances, health insurance, and household responsibilities. They explore how illness can either bring couples closer together or create additional challenges, particularly when one spouse becomes the primary caregiver or when the family is dealing with fear and uncertainty. The conversation also addresses the unique challenges of parenting during an illness, including how to talk to children about a cancer diagnosis and how divorced parents may need to adjust parenting schedules and responsibilities when one parent becomes sick. From navigating medical expenses and insurance coverage to balancing work, parenting, caregiving, and intimacy, Fara and Stephanie offer a candid look at the ways illness can reshape relationships and family dynamics. In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this episode provides an honest and personal conversation about facing cancer while navigating marriage, family, and the many practical challenges that come with a serious diagnosis. In this episode, you'll hear about: • Fara's personal breast cancer diagnosis and journey • How a cancer diagnosis can affect a marriage • The challenges of becoming a caregiver to your spouse • How illness can bring couples closer together—or create new challenges • Talking to children about a parent's cancer diagnosis • How divorced parents can navigate parenting responsibilities when one parent becomes ill • The financial impact of illness and the loss of household income • Health insurance and medical coverage considerations • How medical expenses can create additional financial strain • The importance of support from family, friends, and caregivers • Balancing work, parenting, treatment, and recovery • How illness can affect intimacy and marital dynamics • The importance of supporting children through a parent's illness • Why communication and cooperation matter during a health crisis • Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the importance of mammograms
  • Events
    AIA Tri-State Conference
    Princeton will serve as the backdrop for three days of connection, learning, and design leadership. From keynotes to tours to the Tri-State Design Awards, this year’s conference is designed to go far beyond education sessions. Kick off the week with pre-conference intensives and individual state component Design Award celebrations, followed by three days of education, inspiration, networking, and design excellence at the 2026 AIA Tri-State Conference—featuring pre-conference intensives, three keynote speakers, 25 education sessions, curated tours, an expo, spec academies, and the AIA Tri-State Design Awards—bringing together architects and design professionals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of the profession. G2. Designing Secure Practices: Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Contractual Provisions, and Insurance Risks for Architects (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) Architects and design professionals increasingly rely on cloud platforms, BIM software, and digital tools to manage sensitive data, creating cybersecurity and privacy risks. A single incident can trigger liability claims, regulatory obligations, reputational harm, and insurance challenges. Yet many firms underestimate how contracts, insurance, and internal practices intersect during a breach. This program offers legal and insurance perspectives on cyber risk in architecture, examining liability exposure, risky contract provisions, and mitigation strategies. A cyber insurance expert will explain policy responses, coverage gaps, coordination with professional liability, and best practices for aligning insurance with contractual risk and protecting firms from evolving cyber threats. Learning Objectives: Identify key cybersecurity and data privacy risks faced by architecture firms and explain how these risks can impact professional liability and project outcomes. Analyze common contractual provisions to determine which clauses may increase exposure to cyber incidents and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Evaluate the scope and limitations of cyber insurance policies, including coordination with professional liability coverage, to determine how a policy would respond in a breach scenario. Develop actionable risk management strategies by integrating legal, contractual, and insurance considerations to protect sensitive client and project data.