MARCH 2019 Ori Portnoy Kathleen A
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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT Blank Rome is committed to excellence in our fields of endeavor. We recognize that a diversity of ideas, backgrounds, and experiences is essential to fulfilling this commitment. We endeavor to recruit, hire, promote, and retain—on the basis of demonstrated talent and initiative—individuals throughout our Firm representing, among other things, different races, genders, ethnic groups, religions, sexual orientation, and national origins. We also endeavor to be inclusive of individuals with disabilities. THANK YOU TO OUR 2018 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEMBERS CO-CHAIRS LOS ANGELES PHILADELPHIA Christopher A. Lewis Cheryl S. Chang Lisa Casey Spaniel Deborah A. Franzblau Joseph M. Doloboff Yelena M. Barychev Jason S. Kim Linsey B. Bozzelli EX-OFFICIO Sophia Lee Hon. Nathaniel R. Jones NEW YORK Mark I. Rabinowitz Mark Blondman Beth Bernstein Conners Greg F. Vizza Julie Dressing Morgan Fraser Mouchette Melissa Morrissey Brooke T. Iley Mayling C. Blanco MARCH 2019 Ori Portnoy Kathleen A. Cunningham PRINCETON Donna M. Branca Diana M. Eng Adrienne C. Rogove Michael A. Scheffler HOUSTON Deborah Skakel WASHINGTON Susan L. Bickley Samantha Wallack Charles J. Monterio Jeremy A. Herschaft Marianne Talbot Russell T. Wong Karyn Cleveland-Barnes Candace Childress Andre Davison WILMINGTON Victoria A. Guilfoyle Please see page 14 for our recently appointed 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Committee members. Cincinnati • Fort Lauderdale • Houston • Los Angeles • New York • Philadelphia • Pittsburgh Princeton • San Francisco • Shanghai • Tampa • Washington • Wilmington blankrome.com/diversity-inclusion Attorney advertising. ©2019 Blank Rome LLP. All rights reserved. Please contact Blank Rome for permission to reprint. Notice: The purpose of this update is to identify select developments that may be of interest to readers. The informa tion contained herein is abridged and summarized from various sources, the accuracy and completeness of which cannot be assured. This update should not be construed as legal advice or opinion, and is not a substitute for the advice of counsel. Navigating Your Career as a Diverse Attorney: Knowing What’s Next Blank Rome had the opportunity to host the panel discussion, “Navigating Your Contents Career as a Diverse Attorney: Knowing What’s Next,” held on November 14, 2018, Perspectives keeps you informed on Blank Rome’s latest at our Philadelphia office. The event was diversity news and events as well as provides you with insight on current presented by the Hispanic Bar Association diversity and inclusion issues in the legal industry and beyond. of Pennsylvania and PECO Energy, and provided advice and insights on how to plan, manage, and advance your career so A Note from Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO ......................................................... 1 you are ready for your next opportunity. Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit .......................................................................... 2 The esteemed group of panelists included Sophia Lee, Partner, Blank Rome; Marcel Blank Rome Responds to Events at the Tree of Life Synagogue ............................................... 6 S. Pratt, Philadelphia City Solicitor; Diana Cortes, Litigation Group Chair, City of Blank Rome Receives LCLD Compass Award ........................................................................ 7 Philadelphia Law Department; and Romulo The Blank Rome Proust Questionnaire ............................................................................... 8 Diaz, Vice President and General Counsel, PECO Energy. L to R: Sophia Lee, Blank Rome; Anthony Gay, PECO; Jacqueline Romero, HBA-PA; Romulo Diaz, PECO Blank Rome Achieves Certification for Participation in Mansfield Rule Program ...................... 10 Energy; Diana Cortes, City Solicitor’s Office; and Elizabeth Oquendo, HBA-PA. Advancing Women in the Legal Profession ....................................................................... 11 Joint Affinity Mentoring and Interviewing Promoting LGBTQ Equality ............................................................................................. 12 Workshop for Law Students 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Updates .............................................................. 14 Diversity, Equity, The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania, Barristers’ Association of 2019 Promotions: 12 Partners and 4 Of Counsel ................................................................ 16 and Inclusion in the Philadelphia, and Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania held a joint affinity bar panel Workplace James Barnes Joins Initiative Aimed at Increasing Success of Black Male Students ................... 18 on January 17, 2019. The event featured a presentation on interviewing tips from local affinity bar leaders and a speed mentoring session that provided attendees the opportu- Enhancing Relationships in the Chinese Legal Community ................................................... 20 nity to meet attorneys practicing in Philadelphia. Panelists for this interactive event were Blank Rome Partner James J. Sophia Lee, Partner, Blank Rome; Tiffany Sutherland, Manager of Associate Recruitment, Barnes spoke at the Vibrant Blank Rome Launches Storytelling Project, WE ARE BR ....................................................... 22 Pepper Hamilton; Crystal Esponal, Deputy City Solicitor, City of Philadelphia; and Brenda Pittsburgh Regional Economic More Blank Rome in the News ....................................................................................... 24 Marrero, Deputy Director of Operations, Community Legal Services. Inclusion Summit on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace, held on September 17, 2018, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His panel on the “Invitation Only Executive Breakfast Roundtable” explored what examining their roles in advancing diversity and inclusion means for CEOs and C-Suite executives locally, nationally, and globally. p L to R: Brenda Marrero, Community Legal Services; Tiffany Southerland, Pepper Hamilton; Sophia Lee, Blank Rome; and Crystal Espanol, City of Philadelphia. PERSPECTIVES • 29 EVENTS (CONTINUED) Diversity: An Inclusive Culture or Window Dressing? Blank Rome was proud to host the event, “Diversity: An Inclusive Culture or Window Dressing?,” held on September 13, 2018, A Note from Blank Rome’s at our Philadelphia office. The program was presented by the Greater Philadelphia Managing Partner and CEO Chapter of Ascend and co-sponsored by Blank Rome and Ernst & Young. The GRANT S. PALMER panel was moderated by Kapish Vanvaria, Senior Manager, Ernst & Young, and Peter I am pleased to present the March 2019 edition Rome Women’s Leadership Summit where we assembled for Lav, Senior Director of Cable Compliance, of Perspectives, Blank Rome’s diversity and inclusion the second time a group of more than 100 women leaders Comcast, who led a thoughtful discussion newsletter brought to you by our Chief Diversity and Inclusion in law to collaborate and “hack” some of the most urgent on the effectiveness of diversity programs Officers Sophia Lee and Christopher A. Lewis, and our Firm’s challenges facing our profession. We are already hard at work and policies for women and minorities. dedicated Diversity and Inclusion Committee. implementing the winning ideas from this year’s summit, and Panelists were Sophia Lee, Partner, we are well underway in bringing their promise of enhanced Blank Rome; Jeanell Hughes, VP Talent Blank Rome was formed in 1946 by attorneys who, because diversity, inclusion, and value to fruition. Management and Chief Diversity Officer, of their religion, were barred from joining many established Aramark; and Richard Huynh, Pricing law firms. Our founders’ vision for our Firm was of a place None of these accolades or events would be possible with- Analytics Director, Cigna. p where people of diverse backgrounds could gather to out the commitment and support of our Firm’s Diversity and L to R: Peter Lav, Comcast; Richard Huynh, Cigna; Sophia Lee, Blank Rome; Elaine Cheong, Bank of America; Gustavo Pospischel, Comcast; Paulo Canale, Ernst & Young; and Kapish Vanvaria, Ernst & Young. practice law. As such, our Firm’s diversity and inclusion goals Inclusion Committee and leadership, of which we recently are to make Blank Rome a place where everyone can do their announced member updates. Blank Rome Partner Sophia Lee best work and bring their “whole selves” to work as well as is now serving as Blank Rome’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion to increase and harness our diverse talents to enhance our Officer, collaborating alongside Partner Christopher A. Lewis Firm’s client service. on advancing and strengthening our Firm-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives and goals. We also announced Partners Growing Pains & Learned As a result, Blank Rome remains supportive of all of our Sophia Lee and Carlos F. Ortiz as new chairs to our Diversity Lessons on Managing the professionals and is proud of the national recognition that and Inclusion Committee as well as new chairs to our Many Roles We Play as our Firm and attorneys have received for our commitment BR Pride, BR United, and Women’s Forum affinity groups. We Iranian-American Women to diversity and inclusion. Notably, this past summer, our would like to thank Deborah A. Franzblau, who is concluding Firm achieved Mansfield Certification, which recognizes law her role as co-chair of our Diversity and Inclusion Committee, firms participating in Diversity