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©2017 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.

LLP

DECEMBER 2017

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion in Practice

Contents

A Note from Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit and Legal Hackathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ABA Resolution 113: Is This Time Different? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

LCLD Pathfinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Blank Rome Proust Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Advancing Women in the Legal Profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Blank Rome Temple-Tsinghua Internship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Blank Rome Responds to Events in Charlottesville, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Promoting LGBTQ Equality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

More Blank Rome in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement and Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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 the Firm representing, among other things,

different races, genders, ethnic groups, religions, sexual orientations, and national origins.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE:

CO-CHAIRSChristopher A. Lewis Deborah A. Franzblau

EX-OFFICIO Hon. Nathaniel R. Jones Mark Blondman Julie Dressing Brooke Iley Ori Portnoy Donna Branca FLORIDA Jose Riguera

HOUSTON Susan Bickley Jeremy Herschaft Russell Wong

LOS ANGELES Cheryl Chang Joseph Doloboff Jason Kim

NEW YORK Beth Bernstein Morgan Mouchette Mayling Blanco Kathleen Cunningham Diana Eng Michael Scheffler Deborah Skakel Samantha Wallack Nk Udogwu

PHILADELPHIA Lisa Casey Yelena Barychev Linsey Bozzelli Sophia Lee Mark RabinowitzGreg Vizza

PRINCETON Nikhil Heble Adrienne Rogove

WASHINGTON Charles MonterioGabriella Ziccarelli WILMINGTON Victoria Guilfoyle

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

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Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Picnic Blank Rome sponsored the 13th Annual KozyakMinority Mentoring Foundation Picnic, which was held on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at Amelia Earhart Park in Miami, Florida. The Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation’s primary goal is to build an effective pathway to diversity in the legal profession by providing opportunities and support to minority and women law students through mentoring programs, net-working, and fellowships. The annual picnic gives diverse law students an unparalleled opportunity to network with lawyers and judges from all areas of Florida and the legal profession in an informal and fun environment. 

From L to R: Blank Rome’s Sophia Lee, 6abc’s Nydia Han, and Blank Rome’s Scott F. Cooper, Alan J. Hoffman, and Christopher A. Lewis.

4th Annual Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity Award Reception Blank Rome hosted the 4th Annual Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity Award Reception on Thursday, January 26, 2017, in the Firm’s Philadelphia office. The award was presented to Partner Scott F. Cooper, who serves as chair of the Firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. Nydia Han, 6abc Consumer Reporter and co-anchor of Action News on Sunday mornings, keynoted the event. The Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity Award is presented annually to a Blank Rome attorney or professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting diversity within the Firm. It is named after Blank Rome Of Counsel Judge Nathaniel R. Jones, who previously served as the Firm’s first Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion. 

From L to R: Blank Rome’s David S. Ehrlich, Anthony R. Yanez, Jose R. Riguera, and Alen H. Hsu.

Blank Rome’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has been at the foundation of the Firm’s core values since 1946, when the Firm was established by a group of attorneys who were barred from joining many established law firms because of their religion. The founders’ vision for the Firm was of a work environment where people of diverse backgrounds could gather to practice law and bring their “whole selves” to work. As a result, Blank Rome remains supportive of all of our professionals and is proud of the national recognition we have received for our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Notably, the Firm received a perfect score of 100 percent in the 2018 Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (“HRC”) Foundation. With this score, Blank Rome has been designated for the third year in a row as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the HRC.

In addition, Blank Rome was honored with the 2017 Community Vision Award by the LeGaL Foundation for our longstanding commitment to the LGBTQ community through our pro bono work and landmark victory in Brooke S.B., which overturned the harmful precedent of barring non-biological parents in same-sex relationships from access to their children. The Firm was also named one of the 2017 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother magazine, and was recognized by Bloomberg for our record women partner promotions and our commitment to Diversity Lab’s Women in Law Hackathon Alliance, an initiative that brings law firms from across the

country together to increase gender parity in the top ranks of the legal profession. The Hackathon Alliance follows our Firm’s participation in Diversity Lab’s first-ever Women in Law Hackathon, a Shark Tank-style competition that brought together high-level partners from law firms across the coun-try with industry experts and Stanford Law students to create innovative solutions aimed at advancing and retaining experi-enced women lawyers in law firms. Blank Rome is also proud to be one of 30 leading law firms to pilot one of the winning hackathon ideas, Diversity Lab’s “Mansfield Rule,” which mea-sures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women and attorneys of color—at least 30 percent of the candidate pool—for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and lateral positions.

These are just a handful of accolades and commitments that demonstrate Blank Rome’s dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion throughout the Firm, the legal industry, and beyond. We look forward to continuing our diversity initiatives through not only honoring our founders’ vision for the Firm, but also through the recruitment and retention of diverse attorneys, sponsorship of diversity events across the country, and promotion of internal diversity events. Perspectives will keep you informed on Blank Rome’s latest diversity news and events as well as provide you with insight on current diversity issues in the legal industry and beyond.

I hope you enjoy our inaugural newsletter and welcome your feedback. p

A Note from Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing PartnerI am pleased to present the inaugural edition of Perspectives, Blank Rome’s diversity and inclusion newsletter brought to you by Christopher A. Lewis, Chief Officer of Diversity and Inclusion, and our Firm’s dedicated Diversity Committee members.

ALAN J. HOFFMAN

A NOTE FROM BLANK ROME’S CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING PARTNERMORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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APABA-DC Transitions Panel Blank Rome’s Attorneys of Color Affinity Group hosted APABA-DC’s (Asian Pacific American Bar Association-DC) Transitions Panel on Wednesday, March 8, at Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C., office. The event included a light reception, panel discussion, and Q&A session. Associates Ji Young Park and Victoria Ortega, who were both recently appointed as vice-chairs of the affinity group’s D.C. team, hosted the meeting on behalf of the Firm with assistance from Morgan Fraser Mouchette, a co-chair of the affinity group’s New York team. Partner Sophia Lee joined the APABA-DC panel, along with other attorneys who have successfully made the shift from one sector to another in the legal industry, and provided insight and advice to attendees who are looking for a new job or considering the next stage in their legal careers. 

Blank Rome’s Ji Young Park and Sophia Lee (bottom left) and members of the APABA-DC Panel.

A Conversation with Nationally Renowned JournalistsIn honor of Black History Month, Blank Rome held an insightful conversation about politics, the change in administration, and the media on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, in the Firm’s Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C., offices. The panel featured Yamiche Alcindor, national reporter for The New York Times; Erica Brown, multimedia journalist for CBS News; and Harold Jackson, editorial page editor for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

From L to R: Blank Rome’s Christopher A. Lewis, Donna Tolbert, and Philadelphia Inquirer’s Harold Jackson.

Blank Rome was proud to host the Firm’s inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit and Legal Hackathon, which was held September 14-15 in Washington, D.C. The summit further enhanced and strengthened Blank Rome’s banner year for supporting and promoting female attorneys and women’s initiatives, both at the Firm and in the legal industry and beyond. Learn more about the Firm’s commitment to advancing women in law on page 10.

The Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit was an exclusive two-day event that brought together women leaders in law to participate in a unique exercise to “hack” specific challenges related to the ever-evolving legal landscape, and propose innovative ideas and solutions on the topics of 1) in-house and outside counsel collaboration, 2) diversity and inclusion, and 3) community involvement that Blank Rome is committed to supporting and advancing.

The summit featured several leading experts—including Eve Runyon from the Pro Bono Institute, Catherine Moynihan from the Association of Corporate Counsel, and Lori Lorenzo from the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity—who gave TED-style talks on best practices related to the topics mentioned above. The Firm also welcomed Judy Smith, crisis man-agement expert, lawyer, author, and television producer, for a Q&A session. She is the founder and president of the crisis management firm Smith & Co. Her work in crisis management is the inspiration for the hit television series, Scandal.

For the hackathon portion of the program, the Firm partnered with Caren Ulrich Stacy, CEO, Diversity Lab, and Founder of the OnRamp Fellowship and Women in Law Hackathon. Learn more about Blank Rome’s continued support and participa-tion in Diversity Lab initiatives, including its newly created “Mansfield Rule,” on page 11. p

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHON MORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Gender Equality: The State of Our UnionBlank Rome was a proud sponsor of “Gender Equality: The State of Our Union,” the inaugural program of The Foundation for Gender Equality, held in New York City on April 25. Blank Rome Partner Marilyn B. Chinitz serves on the board of directors for the Foundation and also sponsored the event. Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, and Amy Ziering, award-winning documentary film producer, gave compelling keynote speeches to an at-capacity audience. Ms. Jarrett spoke on “Is Gender Equality Possible in the 21st Century?” and Ms. Ziering spoke on “Sexism, Lies and Videotape: Feminism and Responsibility in the 21st Century.” 

Blank Rome’s Marilyn B. Chinitz with members of The Foundation of Gender Equality Board of Directors.

Blank Rome’s Saminaz Akhter (right) and guests at the Firm’s Black Broadway of U viewing.

Winning Hackathon IdeasBlank Rome is committed to launching the following winning ideas at the Firm this year.

JUDGES’ WINNER

INdorsee Program

Putting a point-person on the inside to

get to know our clients

Research has consistently shown that poor communication and flawed understanding between in-house and outside counsel is not only a drag on produc-tivity, but can also ruin relationships. By putting an INdorsee—essentially, a firm attorney who works from their client’s office for a set number of hours each week, for an agreed-upon time period—on the inside, outside counsel can gain invaluable insight and build relationships that allow the firm to quickly identify issues and opportunities, effectively manage projects and, ultimately, deliver better results. The client gets a law firm that truly comprehends their business, and the firm gets a more efficient client relationship. Additionally, the INdorsee builds relationships and gains experiences that will serve them well throughout their careers.

JUDGES’ WINNER

Spotlight Events

Creating a platform to recognize and celebrate women

and minority attorneys

A lack of women and minority leaders remains a chronic problem in the legal profession, creating an opportunity for firms that can success fully hire, retain, and promote underrepresented groups. Drawing on existing marketing budgets and adapted business plans, Spotlight Events gives firms and their clients an actionable way to collaborate and highlight the accomplishments of their women and minority attorneys, advancing their careers as well as the organization’s reputa-tion. Law firms and clients will work together to decide who gets featured, mutually deepening their relationship. Over time, staffing decisions will begin to reflect a firm culture that celebrates diversity, with women and minorities being given greater opportunities. Firms and their clients will reap the rewards of such success.

CROWD FAVORITE

Client Collaborative Billing

Rewarding lawyers for facilitating better collaboration

with clients

The standard metrics for measuring the value of an attorney-client relationship can seem impossible to align, creating an obstacle to collaboration. Attorney-client tension is alleviated by Client Collaboration Billing, which rewards attorneys for building stronger relationships with clients—without charging them more. The firm incentivizes attorneys to increase collaboration with their clients by providing billable hour credits for activities that enhance the relationship. The added cost is quickly offset by more efficient and durable relationships between the firm and their clients. In-house attorneys get more engaged outside counsel, while the firm offers improved services to further enhance client relationships.

Black Broadway on UIn honor of Women’s History Month, Blank Rome’s Attorneys of Color Affinity Group held a viewing of Black Broadway on U on March 30, at Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C., office. The short film tells the story of the influen-tial African American community on U Street in the early 1900s, once known as “Black Broadway,” which served as a prominent symbol of black culture and sophistication amid racial and political tension in America. Following the viewing, Shellée M. Haynesworth, executive producer and creator of Black Broadway on U: A Transmedia Project, highlighted notable African American women who lived and worked on U Street during that time. 

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month DinnerIn celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Blank Rome’s Attorneys of Color Affinity Group hosted a dinner on May 16, at Noreetuh in New York. The modern Hawaiian restau-rant, located in the East Village, is run by veterans of Per Se. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Members of the affinity group enjoyed dinner in an intimate setting, which facilitated lively conversations and a fantas-tic time by all.

Members of Blank Rome’s New York Attorneys of Color Affinity Group and guests at the Group’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month dinner.

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHONMORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Alen H. Hsu Receives 2016 Legal Advisor of the Year Award – Sterling 5, Inc. Associate Alen H. Hsu received the 2016 Legal Advisor of the Year Award by Sterling 5, Inc., a Florida-based information technology staffing firm specialized in solutions integration and management consulting.

Alen H. Hsu Appointed to the Committee of The Florida Bar Journal and The Florida Bar News Editorial Board – The Florida Bar Association Associate Alen H. Hsu has been selected by the Florida Bar Association to serve a three-year term on the committee of The Florida Bar Journal and The Florida Bar News editorial board.

Lawrence J. Beaser Named “Champion of the Year” – SeniorLAW Center Partner Lawrence J. Beaser was honored in recognition of his advocacy for the rights of seniors and the significant impact he has made in improving the lives of others.

Now at the Top, Pa. Women Dealmakers Look to Grow Ranks – The Legal IntelligencerPartner Linsey B. Bozzelli expands on gender equality in the legal industry and her professional experience of becoming a top woman dealmaker in Pennsylvania.

How Big Firms Are Working to Improve the Future for Women in Law – FairyGodBossPartner Daniel E. Rhynhart discusses his involvement in Diversity Lab’s Women in Law Hackathon and his commitment to advancing women in law.

Margaret Canby Appointed to New LGBT Commission – New York State Unified Court SystemPartner Margaret Canby has been appointed to serve as a member of a new LGBT commission to highlight and address issues of concern to LGBT members within the justice system and legal profession.

Judge Nathaniel R. Jones Nominated for a NAACP Image Award – NAACP Of Counsel Judge Nathaniel R. Jones received his nomination in the “Literature: Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Auto-Biography” category for his memoir, Answering the Call. 

Seen and Heard …Below is a snapshot of what attendees had to say about the Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit on social media.

Blank Rome’s Alen H. Hsu (left) with Sterling 5, Inc. President Chaithanya Sama.

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHON MORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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In addition to the accolades and stories featured throughout this edition of Perspectives, below are some recent appoint-ments, recognitions, thought leadership pieces, and events that our attorneys have topped headlines with. For a full list of news items, visit Diversity News and Diversity Recognitions. For a full list of events, speaking engagements, and sponsorships, visit Diversity Events. p

Stanley B. Tarr Named “Minority Business Leader” – Philadelphia Business Journal Partner Stanley B. Tarr was honored in recognition of his professional accomplishments, community leadership, and philanthropy in the Philadelphia community.

Trial Lawyer Diversity Inched Up Over Decade, but Is That Too Slow? – The Legal IntelligencerPartner Sophia Lee comments on state of trial lawyer diversity, improving metrics that measure diversity in the legal profession, and reducing implicit bias in hiring processes.

Pictured from L to R: Blank Rome’s Christopher A. Lewis, Stanley B. Tarr, Mark M. Lee, and Regina Stango Kelbon.

Blank Rome’s Eric G. Fikry (left) pictured with CCBA Immediate Past President Louis R. Moffa.

Recent Diversity and Inclusion Highlights

Eric G. Fikry Appointed President of the Camden County Bar Association – Camden County Bar Association

Partner Eric G. Fikry has been appointed as the 91st president of the Camden County Bar Association, which places him as the first Asian Pacific American attorney to serve as CCBA President.

… Around the Summit

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHONMORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Blank Rome Partners Mary T. Vidas and Brian S. Paszamant were recognized for their leadership and commitment to diversity and inclusion at the Pennsylvania Diversity Council’s 8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference.

Ms. Vidas was named one of the “Most Powerful and Influential Women” by the Council. Each year, this recognition honors women in the Philadelphia region who provide leadership in the public or private sectors, sustain a record of accomplishments to their field of work, and exhibit a commitment to the highest ethical standards and professional excellence.

Mr. Paszamant was presented with a “Leadership Excellence Award,” which distinguishes a select group of individuals from diverse fields who exhibit exceptional leadership qualities. The focus of the award is to give prominence to the accomplishments of men and women who exceed the scope of what is expected in their organizations and communities. p

Mary T. Vidas and Brian S. Paszamant Honored at the Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference

Blank Rome’s Mary T. Vidas receiving the Most Powerful and Influential Women Award.

Blank Rome’s Brian S. Paszamant receiving the Leadership Excellence Award.

An impressive number of CLOs have already signed onto the pledge. But those who have monitored diversity in the pro-fession will quickly recall that this is not the first time general counsels have made such a pledge. Most notably, in 2004, Richard Palmore, then general counsel of Sara Lee, issued the “Call to Action,” asking his fellow general counsels to make decisions regarding the use of law firms based in significant part on the diversity performance of the firms. More than 100 leading general counsels signed Palmore’s Call to Action, but despite this support, the legal profession continued to lag behind other professions in diversity and inclusion, and the ABA, in adopting Resolution 113, noted that progress has stalled notwithstanding an increasingly diverse pool of talent graduating from law schools.

Will this time be different? Three factors suggest that the pro-fession may have reached a key inflection point.

ABA Resolution 113: Is This Time Different?

First, the ABA plays a unique role in the legal profession. The ABA’s explicit adoption of the Model Survey provides a seal of approval for diversity and inclusion efforts that cannot be easily ignored or dismissed. Second, the ABA openly embraced Justice Brandeis’ maxim that “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” The collection of the data provides transparency regarding law firm diversity that will spur laggards to improve their numbers. Finally, it is often said that “what gets measured gets done.” The Model Survey establishes a uniform and standardized framework for evaluating law firm demographics and firms’ diversity efforts.

With the advent of the Model Survey, the “business case for diversity” now takes center stage. Hopefully, this time is differ-ent and change is on its way. To read more about Resolution 113 and the Model Survey, please visit ABA Resolution 113. p

By: Christopher A. Lewis

Last year, on August 8, 2016, the American Bar Association (“ABA”) House of Delegates adopted Resolution 113 to help promote diversity in the legal profession. Resolution 113 embraced a two-pronged approach: 1) urging law firms and corporations to expand and create opportunities at all levels for diverse attorneys, and 2) urging clients to direct a greater percentage of the legal services they purchase, both currently and in the future, to diverse attorneys.

In furtherance of the Resolution, the ABA asked chief legal officers (“CLOs”) of the Fortune 1000 to make five commitments:

To support ABA Resolution 113.1

To ask firms that provide a significant portion of their legal services to complete the ABA’s Model Diversity Survey (the “Model Survey”).

2

To agree to require firms that are not currently retained and are competing to handle a signifi-cant matter to complete the Model Survey.

3

To agree that the information obtained through the Model Survey will be used as a factor in determining which firms to retain or terminate in providing legal services to the company.

4

To advise the ABA that the CLO supports the above principles, so that the ABA can maintain and publish an ongoing list of CLOs who have committed to the principles.

5

CHRISTOPHER A. LEWIS

ABA RESOLUTION 113 8TH ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

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Blank Rome Partner and Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion Christopher A. Lewis, as well as Partners Sophia Lee, Amy Joseph Coles, Brian S. Paszamant, and Mary T. Vidas, served as panel speak-ers at the Pennsylvania Diversity Council’s 8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference. The conference was held on Thursday, August 31, 2017, at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue.

This year’s conference theme was “Fostering Equity through Inclusion,” and focused on educating and creating local dialogue on diversity and inclusion as well as celebrating the wide array of differences in our communities. Ms. Lee spoke on the panel, “Leadership: How to Inspire, Influence & Achieve Results,” Ms. Cole and Mr. Paszamant spoke on the panel, “Millennials and the Workplace,” and Mr. Lewis spoke on the panel, “Unwritten Rules of Corporate America.” Film Director Spike Lee delivered the keynote address. p

Blank Rome Attorneys Speak at the Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference

Blank Rome attorneys and Firm clients with film director Spike Lee at the 8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference.

LCLD PathfindersTo help support the Firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, Blank Rome joined the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (“LCLD”), an organization that is dedicated to creating a truly diverse legal pro-fession. Blank Rome Associates Megan R. Wood and Melanie S. Carter were elected in recognition of their achievements and successes to represent the Firm in the 2017 LCLD Pathfinders Program, a landmark program created to identify, train, and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession. p

Pictured: Blank Rome’s Melanie S. Carter (L) and Megan R. Wood (R) at the LCLD Spring Pathfinders Conference, hosted by Adobe in San Jose, California.

LCLD PATHFINDERS8TH ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

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Blank Rome Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby were named “2017 Trailblazers” in The National Law Journal’s “Divorce, Trusts & Estates” category. This year’s honorees were selected out of “hundreds of nominations” received by The National Law Journal (“NLJ”), and notably recognized for “continuing to make their mark in various aspects of legal work in the areas of family law, trusts & estates.” Each recipient has a common thread that ties them together, according to the NLJ, which is “a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” p

Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby Named “2017 Trailblazers”

Blank Rome Receives LeGaL Foundation’s 2017 Community Vision AwardBlank Rome was honored with the 2017 Community Vision Award at the LeGaL Foundation Annual Dinner in New York City on Friday, April 6, 2017, in honor of the Firm’s “distinguished record of service to the LGBTQ community, including a sustained commitment to achieving equal rights for all members of the LGBTQ community.” Blank Rome Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby accepted the award on behalf of the Firm and in recognition of their commitment to the LGBTQ community through their pro bono work and significant victory in Brooke S.B. v. Elizabeth C.C. Blank Rome is honored to receive this award in recognition of Ms. Krauss-Browne and Ms. Canby’s milestone victory for the LGBTQ community at large as well as the Firm’s long-standing commitment and dedication to providing outstanding pro bono service and fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. p

From L to R: Client Brooke Barone; Brett Figlewski, LeGaL Foundation; and

Blank Rome’s Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby.

CAROLINE KRAUSS-BROWNE MARGARET CANBY

Megan R. Wood is an associate in Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C., office. She focuses her practice on patent litigation, patent prosecution, and IP due diligence in support of corporate mergers and acquisitions. With respect to her litigation practice, she has been a critical member of multiple litigation teams that have achieved favorable settlements and a victory before the Federal Circuit on behalf of Firm clients. With respect to her prosecution practice, Ms. Wood has successfully prosecuted numerous patent applications resulting in notices of allowance (patents) for clients in the electrical, chemical, and medical device fields. p

The Blank Rome Proust Questionnaire: Megan R. Wood and Melanie S. Carter, LCLD Pathfinders

Made popular by Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire was created to help readers learn all the fascinating ins and outs of a featured personality. With the purpose of spotlighting and getting to know Blank Rome professionals who are leaders in advancing diversity and inclusion at our Firm, Blank Rome Partner Sophia Lee produced an adapted Proust Questionnaire for our attorneys. In this edition of Perspectives, Associates Megan R. Wood and Melanie S. Carter are featured.

What is your Myers-Briggs Type?ESTJ – Extraversion + Sensing + Thinking + Judgment, aka, “The Executive”

Which living person do you most admire?Ruth Bader Ginsburg

What is your greatest extravagance?Traveling

Which talent would you most like to have?Telepathic abilities

Where would you most like to live?On a beach

What do you most value in your friends?Being trustworthy

Who are your favorite writers?As cheesy as it sounds, Nicholas Sparks

Who is your hero of fiction?Atticus Finch

Who are your heroes in real life?My uncle, Michael Wood

How would you like to die?Old and gray in my sleep

What is your favorite journey?Climbing two fourteeners in Colorado (mountains that are at least 14,000 feet high)

What is your favorite quote?“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

What items do you carry with you at all times?Metro card, credit card, and the Batphone (aka, my work phone)

What is your favorite movie from childhood?A League of Their Own

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

MEGAN R. WOOD

THE BLANK ROME PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE PROMOTING LGBTQ EQUALITY

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Blank Rome Secures Landmark Victory in New York’s Highest Court on Behalf of Pro Bono ClientIn August 2016, Blank Rome and co-counsel secured a victory before the New York State Court of Appeals on behalf of a non-biological, non-adoptive lesbian mother, Brooke Barone, who sought shared parenting time and financial responsibility for a child she and her former same-sex partner, Elizabeth Cleland, planned for and raised together. Overturning a 25-year precedent, the court held, “… that where a partner shows by clear and convincing evidence that the parties agreed to conceive a child and to raise the child together, the non-biological, non-adoptive partner has standing to seek visitation and custody under” New York’s Domestic Relations Law.

Blank Rome Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby led the Blank Rome team repre-senting pro bono client, Ms. Barone. On the day of the court’s landmark decision, Ms. Canby stated, “Today is a really gratifying day to be a lawyer. The Court’s decision to overturn Alison D. v. Virginia M., a decades-old decision that defined parenthood in an overly restrictive and discriminatory fashion, finally provides trial courts with the latitude to look at the facts of a custody matter and determine a just result on a case-by-case basis. We are hopeful that this decision will not only change the law for future families facing these issues, but also remedy tragedies that have transpired under Alison D. for 25 years.” She continued, “Cases like this cannot be won without the devotion of pro bono resources by large law firms. Nurturing a case of this kind requires a labor of love from law firms, attorneys, and amici groups alike.”

Many prominent legal and child welfare experts filed friend-of-the-court (amicus) briefs on the side of Ms. Barone and her son, including the New York State Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and 45 family law academics on the faculty of every law school in New York State.

In addition to Ms. Canby and Ms. Krauss-Browne of Blank Rome, who represent Ms. Barone on a pro bono basis, the legal team includes Susan Sommer of Lambda Legal and Brett Figlewski of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York. The child is represented by R. Thomas Rankin of Goodell & Rankin and Eric I. Wrubel, Linda Genero Sklaren and Alex R. Goldberg of Warshaw Burstein, LLP, who, along with Ms. Barone, also sought reversal of the decisions of the lower courts.

The case is Brooke S.B. v. Elizabeth C.C. p

At the New York State Court of Appeals on June 2, 2016. From L to R: Brett Figlewski, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York; Susan Sommer, Lambda Legal; client Brooke Barone; and Blank Rome’s Margaret Canby and Caroline Krauss-Browne.

Melanie S. Carter is an associate in Blank Rome’s Philadelphia office. She regularly counsels cli-ents in a full range of business matters, including contractual disputes, issues relating to product liability, white collar criminal defense litigation, and complex real estate issues. She is experi-enced with several types of proceedings and, in addition to representing clients in federal and state court, she has practiced before federal arbitration panels, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and municipal boards. p

Who are your favorite writers?Do Instagrammers count? If so, then definitely @theloufiles. Most recently, I have been reading post- apocalyptic novels, such as Station Eleven, The Passage series, and now I’m reading The Postmortal.

Who is your hero of fiction?Hermione Granger

Who are your heroes in real life?My mom. And the Notorious RBG.

How would you like to die?Asleep in a hammock on a partly sunny day

What is your motto?Health is wealth!

What is your favorite journey?This journey called life! And any walk in the woods.

What is your favorite quote?•    “ When someone shows you who they are, believe

them the first time.”•    “Fortune favors the bold.” •     “The struggle is real.”

What items do you carry with you at all times?Debit card, iPhone, work phone, sunglasses, keys, ID, cash, and Chanel lipstick

What is your favorite movie from childhood?The Princess Bride

What is your favorite holiday? Lundi Gras (the Monday before Mardi Gras), and Thanksgiving

What is your Myers-Briggs Type?INFP – Introversion + Intuition + Feeling + Perception, aka, “The Mediator”

What is your idea of perfect happiness?Drinking a LaColombe latte whilst answering a Proust Questionnaire. Nirvana!

Which living person do you most admire?My mom. She’s resilient, incredibly creative, unwaveringly loving, and can make anything grow.

What is your greatest extravagance?I am a loyal purchaser of a spirulina and chlorella powder from a health shop in Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. I also cater to the whims of my cat, Carmen Cuddlebutt, M.D. (still paying for those med school loans).

Which talent would you most like to have?I wish I could play the violin

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?My cat has a pretty sweet life

Where would you most like to live?On a lake in the mountains just on the edge of the delivery area for Amazon Prime

What is your favorite occupation?When I was a kid, I wanted to be an artist

What do you most value in your friends?Honesty

MELANIE S. CARTER

THE BLANK ROME PROUST QUESTIONNAIREPROMOTING LGBTQ EQUALITY

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Blank Rome Joins Women in Law Hackathon and Women in Law Hackathon Alliance

Last summer, the Diversity Lab completed its first-ever Women in Law Hackathon, a new Shark Tank-style pitch competition aimed at generating innovative ideas to close the gender gap in law firms. Blank Rome was one of fifty-four top law firms, along with talent and diversity thought leaders and Stanford law students, who worked collaboratively in virtual teams from January through June 2016 to devise initiatives designed to help retain and advance experienced women in law firms. The teams pitched their ideas to a panel of nine high-profile judges at Stanford Law School on the final day; the top three teams selected by the judges received prize money from Bloomberg Law to donate to nonprofit organizations helping to advance women in the legal profession and beyond.

Blank Rome was proud to be an inaugural participating firm in this important initiative to advance women in the legal profession, with Daniel E. Rhynhart, Chair of Blank Rome’s Commercial Litigation group, repre-senting the Firm. At the competition, Mr. Rhynhart was joined by team members from other AmLaw 100 firms, a Stanford law student, and a diversity leader serving as the team’s coach, as well as Associate Kathy E. Herman, who initially joined the Firm through its participation in the OnRamp Fellowship.

In December 2016, Blank Rome joined the Women in Law Hackathon Alliance, Phase II of Diversity Lab’s Women in Law Hackathon. To date, 36 law firms, including Blank Rome, have signed on to join the Hackathon Alliance. Of these firms, Blank Rome is one of only eleven that has participated in the OnRamp Fellowship, and to date has welcomed two Fellows to the Firm.

Most recently, Blank Rome partnered with Diversity Lab to pilot its “Mansfield Rule,” which is aimed at advancing women and attor-neys of color in the legal industry. Learn more about the Firm’s participation in this initiative on the following page. Blank Rome was also proud to host the Firm’s inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit and Legal Hackathon, held September 14-15 in Washington, D.C., which further enhanced and strengthened Blank Rome’s banner year for supporting and promoting female attorneys and women’s initiatives. See highlights from the Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit starting on page 2. p

Blank Rome’s Daniel E. Rhynhart (far right) with his 2016 Women in Law Hackathon team members.

Blank Rome received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (“CEI”), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (“HRC”) Foundation. With this score, Blank Rome has been designated for the third year in a row as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the HRC, and joins the ranks of 609 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.

“We are honored that the HRC continues to recognize Blank Rome’s dedication and commit-ment to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Chairman and Managing Partner at Blank Rome. “Since the Firm’s inception more than 70 years ago, we have been actively engaged in promoting workplace equality, and in the last year alone, Blank Rome has been honored by numerous organizations for our role in advancing equality as well as women and minorities in the legal industry and beyond—a commitment that we are dedicated to continuing through our Firm’s leadership, Diversity Committee, and affinity groups.”  p

Blank Rome Earns Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign’s Scorecard on LGBTQ Workplace Equality

Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign (left) with Blank Rome’s Alan J. Hoffman (right). Photo credit: Judy Rolfe Photography.

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION PROMOTING LGBTQ EQUALITY

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Arabella Mansfield (May 23, 1846 – August 1, 1911)

Arabella Mansfield, who made her career as a college educator, administrator, and activist, became the first female lawyer in the United States in 1869, when she was admitted to the Iowa bar after challenging a state law restricting the bar exam to males. As a result of her court challenge, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women and minorities into its bar. In honor of her legacy, the National Association of Women Lawyers named its most prestigious award after Ms. Mansfield, and the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys established the Arabella Mansfield Award to recog-nize outstanding women lawyers in the state. p

Blank Rome Partners with Diversity Lab and Leading Law Firms to Pilot ‘Mansfield Rule’Blank Rome is proud to be one of 30 leading law firms to pilot Diversity Lab’s “Mansfield Rule,” which launched June 2017. Named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admit-ted to the practice of law in the United States, the Mansfield Rule measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women and attorneys of color—at least 30 percent of the candidate pool—for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and lateral positions. The Mansfield Rule was one of the winning ideas from the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon hosted by Diversity Lab in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School.

“We have partnered with Diversity Lab on their pioneering programs since 2014, and are thrilled to be among the pilot law firms to adopt the Mansfield Rule,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing Partner. “For more than 70 years we have remained committed to our diversity and inclusion efforts at Blank Rome, and are proud of the great strides we have made in this regard. Having the opportunity to build upon the momentum we have established at Blank Rome and collaborate with our legal industry peers and Diversity Lab on this innovative initiative is truly exciting.”

With a similar goal in mind, Blank Rome created a vice practice group leader (“VPGL”) position in 2012 to train and mentor

its next generation of leaders. The VPGL position provides a unique opportunity for younger and diverse leaders to be more involved in Firm management. Since adding this level, the Firm has benefited from its leadership ranks expanding in size, and as a result, becoming more diverse. Over the past five years, a number of the VPGLs have been promoted to practice group leader positions, heading up their respective groups. As a result, more than 50 percent of practice groups now have a diverse practice group leader at the helm and women and minorities currently make up more than 40 percent of the Firm’s practice group leader team.

The Mansfield Rule was inspired by the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which was created by the late Dan Rooney in 2003 and is now supported by his son, Art Rooney II, President of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Rooney Rule requires every NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach vacancies. In the years following its implementation, the number of minorities hired to fill head-coach roles doubled.

Law firms that successfully pilot the Mansfield Rule over the next year will be designated “Mansfield Certified” and have the opportunity to send their recently promoted diverse partners to a two-day client forum in late 2018 to build relationships with and learn from influential in-house counsel. p

Blank Rome Responds to Events in Charlottesville, Virginia

This past August, Blank Rome Chairman and Managing Partner Alan J. Hoffman personally addressed the events that unfolded in Charlottesville, Virginia, and reaffirmed Blank Rome’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, both throughout the Firm as well as publicly to the legal industry and beyond, as noted in The Legal Intelligencer’s coverage on August 18, in the section “Big Law Speaks Out.”

Dear Colleagues, Blank Rome was formed in 1946 because our founders did not stand idly by in the face of discrimination and anti-Semitism, even as others in our legal community tacitly accepted discriminatory ideas about who was allowed the privilege to practice law in many established law firms. Our founders stood up and took action to create a firm where people of diverse backgrounds could gather together to practice law. To honor our history, we must speak out about these events that are repugnant to our notions of tolerance and civility, and to our country’s founding principles of equality and justice. There is no moral equivalence for bigotry. During these challenging times, we reaffirm Blank Rome’s dedication to our core value and founding principle—an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion. We are stronger because of our diversity, and are proud that Blank Rome remains a place where we can find friends and colleag ues who support, respect, and genuinely like one another. p

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSIONBLANK ROME RESPONDS TO EVENTS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

18 11

Blank Rome Named a 2017 “Best Law Firm for Women” by Working MotherBlank Rome has been named one of the 2017 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother magazine, marking the second year that the Firm has been recognized for its commitment to creating one of the best women-friendly workplaces in the United States. Working Mother’s annual list honors 50 U.S. law firms for their policies in the advancement of women, notably with regards to key factors such as female representation, flexibility, paid-time off and leaves of absence, leadership, and compensa-tion and advancement, as well as the development and retention of women.

“Blank Rome has a longstanding history of commit-ment to diversity and inclusion, and has been at the forefront of leading the legal industry with devel-oping and promoting policies and programs aimed at advancing women in the workforce,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome Chairman and Managing Partner. “Through our affinity groups such as the Women’s Forum, diversity programs, industry initia-tives, and professional and personal development offerings—including mentoring opportunities and alternative work arrangements—we are actively engaged in fostering the next generation of female leaders at our Firm, and our proud of their achieve-ments and successes as they grow within Blank Rome and our local communities.” p

Blank Rome Women’s ForumBlank Rome Women’s Forum is designed to provide our women lawyers with valuable network-ing, educational, and mentoring opportunities that support and promote career advancement, leadership development, and overall strategies to succeed—both inside and outside of the Firm.

We are proud that our women lawyers are consistently ranked and recognized for their pro-fessional accomplishments in their respective fields of practice by the likes of Chambers and Partners, Law360, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers, among others. Equally as important, Women’s Forum members are active in the bar and their communities, and generous in their support of one another.

“Our Women’s Forum regularly meets and holds events designed to bring the Firm’s female attor-neys and leaders together to support and promote career advancement, business development, leadership development, and overall strategies to succeed—both inside and outside of the Firm,” adds Lisa Casey Spaniel, Chair of the Firm’s Women’s Forum and Vice Chair and Partner of Blank

Rome’s Intellectual Property and Technology group. “It’s truly an honor to be a part of such an inclusive, forward-thinking firm, and to be recognized for our role in advancing women in the legal industry.”

“As our Women’s Forum continues to grow and evolve, we look forward to expanding on our current initiatives in this space, as well as exploring additional opportunities to advance and retain women in the workforce,” said Ms. Casey Spaniel. p

LISA CASEY SPANIEL

From L to R: Senior Counsel Raymond L. Shapiro, Temple Dean Louis Thompson, Partners Thomas E. Biron

and Carol A. Gershon, Féng Yànhuī (Gloria), Lǐ Qiūshí (Joe), Zhāng Dí (Maggie), Firm Secretary John M. Sperger, Hú Xuěméi (Vinee), Temple Office Manager of Graduate and International

Programs Farlistcity El, and Partner Timothy D. Pecsenye.

Two things impressed me the most during the program— punctuality and the significance the attorneys attached to details. We had a sense for how busy the attorneys in this Firm were. However, almost every attorney who was scheduled to meet with us appeared in the conference room on time, and, more often than not, they would be a couple minutes ahead of schedule. In addition, I was deeply impressed that the male attorneys and staff I met were all dressed in business suits, looking very dashing, and the female attorneys were so elegant that what I imagined about American lawyers, based on TV series, was completely satisfied.

During my internship, I was an eye-witness to how pro fessional ism was demonstrated in the day-to-day work and behavior of the Firm’s attorneys. In many people’s eyes, professionalism implies cold jargon, legal terms, detached logic, and even a lack of humanity. What I experienced at Blank Rome was totally different. Here, professionalism was shown by the business attire worn by the attorneys and staff, by the logical legal analysis, by taking a long-run perspective toward relationships, by training and mentoring, and by stepping into another’s shoes. Dealing with people well, respecting your rivals, valuing what your clients need, regarding everybody around you as a potential partner rather than only as a compe titor …  seeing all of these ideas in practice was one of the more rewarding and educating parts of my internship at Blank Rome. p

– Hú Xuěméi (Vinee) (Back row): Partner Christopher A. Lewis, Lǐ Qiūshí (Joe), (Bottom left to right): Hú Xuěméi (Vinee), Zhāng Dí (Maggie), Féng Yànhuī (Gloria).

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION BLANK ROME TEMPLE-TSINGHUA INTERNSHIP

1712

Blank Rome Recognized as a Leading Firm for Promoting Women in 2016Blank Rome has been recognized by Bloomberg Big Law Business as a leading firm for promoting women in 2016, with 71.4 percent of the Firm’s partner promotions comprising of women. Following the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance’s New Partner Report, Bloomberg Big Law Business conducted an analysis on AmLaw 100 partner promotions announced between January 1 and December 31, 2016. The analysis showed that 36.7 percent of all partner promotions in the AmLaw 100 went to women in 2016, and that 21 of those firms announced a partner promotion class with 50 percent or more women. p

 � Associate Katherine Franco Named among Houston Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” ( September 2017) � Partner Stacy D. Phillips Named a “Top Woman Lawyer” by Daily Journal (May 2017) � Partner Jayme L. Butcher Named Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Woman of the Year” (May 2017) � Associate Gabriella E. Ziccarelli Receives Women in Technology’s “Rising Star” Award (May 2017) � Partners Ana Tagvoryan and Cheryl S. Chang Named “Women of Promise” by Comerica Bank Women’s Business Awards Program (April 2017) � Partner Marilyn B. Chinitz honored with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s “Woman of Distinction in Law” Award (January 2017) Blank Rome’s Gabriella E. Ziccarelli receiving the WIT

“Rising Star award. Pictured L to R: WIT president Kathryn Harris, Gabriella E. Ziccarelli, and TV journalist Maureen Bunyan.

Blank Rome’s Marilyn B. Chinitz sharing her acceptance speech after receiving the “Woman of Distinction in Law” Award.

Photo credit: Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com.

Blank Rome’s Ana Tagvoryan (left) and Cheryl S. Chang (right) with their “Women of Promise” awards.

Blank Rome Attorneys Recognized as Top Women in Law and the Community Blank Rome Temple-Tsinghua Internship

The Blank Rome Temple-Tsinghua Internship was established in 2009 in collaboration with the Temple-Tsinghua LL.M. program in Beijing, China and Philadelphia. Each year, Blank Rome invites a small group of the program students to participate in a two-week summer internship where they learn the day-to-day functions performed by a major U.S. law firm and are given an overview of the Firm’s specialties. The internship is organized by Blank Rome Partners Kevin J. Baum and Yelena M. Barychev, and Firm Secretary John M. Sperger.

In the essay below, Hú Xuěméi (Vinee), an intern from this past summer 2017, describes her experience at Blank Rome and also examines her expectations of U.S. law firms and the Firm’s culture. Vinee is an advanced consultant at Guandgdong Moreking law firm and an arbitrator for the Zhuhai Arbitration Commission. Additionally, she serves as an associate professor and director of the legal clinic at the Beijing University School of Law. p

Last year, with the help and push from my dear friend Sophia Wang, I applied for the joint LL.M. program co-run by Temple and Tsinghua Law Schools. Thanks to that program, I came to Philadelphia in May 2017 and spent two months at Temple. After a competitive interview process, I was also offered a two-week internship at Blank Rome, the only law firm that selected interns though resume screening and a face-to-face interview.

A two-week period is limited. It would be unrealistic to expect us to make any visible contribution to the Firm in that time. However, the Firm was not half-hearted in dealing with the pro-gram. Rather, they invested a large amount of time and effort in designing a schedule that matched our language levels, time limit, and expectations as much as possible. They also managed to coordinate face-to-face meetings with dozens of attorneys and staff. We even had a chance to do a mock deposition. All of these arrangements proved how whole-hearted they were and how seriously they took the program.

We wondered why the Firm offered such a well-designed program. Their answer was that they hoped to build long-term relationships with us and stay in contact with us after we returned to China. The Chinese legal services market is huge, and Blank Rome is developing its place in it. Blank Rome hopes to learn more about China to understand its culture, business practices, political system, and legal industry through its rela-tionships with practicing attorneys and others involved in fields related to the law.

BLANK ROME TEMPLE-TSINGHUA INTERNSHIP ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

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Pictured with Rep. Kate Harper and supporters Marguerite Quinn (R-Montgomery) and Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) are members of The Forum of Executive Women, including Blank Rome’s Yelena M. Barychev and representatives of constituencies

around the state of Pennsylvania who support the resolution and its goal.

By: Christopher A. Lewis

Blank Rome is deeply committed to increasing leadership and advancement opportunities for its women attorneys through its support of organizations that share the same goal.

On March 20, 2017, Blank Rome Partners Daniel E. Rhynhart and Yelena M. Barychev attended the “Visionary Boards” event of the Philadelphia Chapter of WomenCorporateDirectors (“WCD”). WCD is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase the representation of women on boards of directors and in board leadership positions. At the “Visionary Boards” event, WCD members and their guests—male colleagues who are chairs, lead directors, or nominating committee chairs of board of directors—exchanged ideas about how to focus on developing visionary boards that are led by women who are experienced board directors.

On April 26, 2017, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously passed Resolution No. 273, which urges all public and private companies as well as nonprofit institutions doing business in Pennsylvania to have a minimum of 30 percent women directors by December 31, 2020, and to measure their progress annually toward a goal of equal representation of men and women in leadership positions. This resolution, supported by The Forum of Executive Women of Greater Philadelphia (“The Forum”), was introduced to the House of Representatives by Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of representatives from across the state.

Blank Rome is pro bono counsel to The Forum, and attorneys Scott E. Thomas, David M. Kuchinos, Yelena M. Barychev, and Courtney Presswood advised The Forum on matters related to this resolution. Partner Yelena Barychev also chaired The Forum’s Women in Executive Leadership and Governance Committee that organized The Forum’s support for House Resolution No. 273. The April 26 vote on this resolution was an important step in The Forum’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the service of women on the boards of directors of for-profit com panies and nonprofit institutions. p

Blank Rome Supports Efforts to Increase Representation of Women in Leadership Positions

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

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Pictured with Rep. Kate Harper and supporters Marguerite Quinn (R-Montgomery) and Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) are members of The Forum of Executive Women, including Blank Rome’s Yelena M. Barychev and representatives of constituencies

around the state of Pennsylvania who support the resolution and its goal.

By Christopher A. Lewis

Blank Rome is deeply committed to increasing leadership and advancement opportunities for its women attorneys through its support of organizations that share the same goal.

On March 20, 2017, Blank Rome Partners Daniel E. Rhynhart and Yelena M. Barychev attended the “Visionary Boards” event of the Philadelphia Chapter of WomenCorporateDirectors (“WCD”). WCD is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase the representation of women on boards of directors and in board leadership positions. At the “Visionary Boards” event, WCD members and their guests—male colleagues who are chairs, lead directors, or nominating committee chairs of board of directors—exchanged ideas about how to focus on developing visionary boards that are led by women who are experienced board directors.

On April 26, 2017, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously passed Resolution No. 273, which urges all public and private companies as well as nonprofit institutions doing business in Pennsylvania to have a minimum of 30 percent women directors by December 31, 2020, and to measure their progress annually toward a goal of equal representation of men and women in leadership positions. This resolution, supported by The Forum of Executive Women of Greater Philadelphia (“The Forum”), was introduced to the House of Representatives by Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of representatives from across the state.

Blank Rome is pro bono counsel to The Forum, and attorneys Scott E. Thomas, David M. Kuchinos, Yelena M. Barychev, and Courtney Presswood advised The Forum on matters related to this resolution. Partner Yelena Barychev also chaired The Forum’s Women in Executive Leadership and Governance Committee that organized The Forum’s support for House Resolution No. 273. The April 26 vote on this resolution was an important step in The Forum’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the service of women on the boards of directors of for-profit com panies and nonprofit institutions. p

Blank Rome Supports Efforts to Increase Representation of Women in Leadership Positions

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

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Blank Rome Recognized as a Leading Firm for Promoting Women in 2016Blank Rome has been recognized by Bloomberg Big Law Business as a leading firm for promoting women in 2016, with 71.4 percent of the Firm’s partner promotions comprising of women. Following the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance’s New Partner Report, Bloomberg Big Law Business conducted an analysis on AmLaw 100 partner promotions announced between January 1 and December 31, 2016. The analysis showed that 36.7 percent of all partner promotions in the AmLaw 100 went to women in 2016, and that 21 of those firms announced a partner promotion class with 50 percent or more women. p

 � Associate Katherine Franco Named among Houston Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” ( September 2017) � Partner Stacy D. Phillips Named a “Top Woman Lawyer” by Daily Journal (May 2017) � Partner Jayme L. Butcher Named Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Woman of the Year” (May 2017) � Associate Gabriella E. Ziccarelli Receives Women in Technology’s “Rising Star” Award (May 2017) � Partners Ana Tagvoryan and Cheryl S. Chang Named “Women of Promise” by Comerica Bank Women’s Business Awards Program (April 2017) � Partner Marilyn B. Chinitz honored with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s “Woman of Distinction in Law” Award (January 2017) Blank Rome’s Gabriella E. Ziccarelli receiving the WIT

“Rising Star award. Pictured L to R: WIT president Kathryn Harris, Gabriella E. Ziccarelli, and TV journalist Maureen Bunyan.

Blank Rome’s Marilyn B. Chinitz sharing her acceptance speech after receiving the “Woman of Distinction in Law” Award.

Photo credit: Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com.

Blank Rome’s Ana Tagvoryan (left) and Cheryl S. Chang (right) with their “Women of Promise” awards.

Blank Rome Attorneys Recognized as Top Women in Law and the Community Blank Rome Temple-Tsinghua Internship

The Blank Rome Temple-Tsinghua Internship was established in 2009 in collaboration with the Temple-Tsinghua LL.M. program in Beijing, China and Philadelphia. Each year, Blank Rome invites a small group of the program students to participate in a two-week summer internship where they learn the day-to-day functions performed by a major U.S. law firm and are given an overview of the Firm’s specialties. The internship is organized by Blank Rome Partners Kevin J. Baum and Yelena M. Barychev, and Firm Secretary John M. Sperger.

In the essay below, Hú Xuěméi (Vinee), an intern from this past summer 2017, describes her experience at Blank Rome and also examines her expectations of U.S. law firms and the Firm’s culture. Vinee is an advanced consultant at Guandgdong Moreking law firm and an arbitrator for the Zhuhai Arbitration Commission. Additionally, she serves as an associate professor and director of the legal clinic at the Beijing University School of Law. p

Last year, with the help and push from my dear friend Sophia Wang, I applied for the joint LL.M. program co-run by Temple and Tsinghua Law Schools. Thanks to that program, I came to Philadelphia in May 2017 and spent two months at Temple. After a competitive interview process, I was also offered a two-week internship at Blank Rome, the only law firm that selected interns though resume screening and a face-to-face interview.

A two-week period is limited. It would be unrealistic to expect us to make any visible contribution to the Firm in that time. However, the Firm was not half-hearted in dealing with the pro-gram. Rather, they invested a large amount of time and effort in designing a schedule that matched our language levels, time limit, and expectations as much as possible. They also managed to coordinate face-to-face meetings with dozens of attorneys and staff. We even had a chance to do a mock deposition. All of these arrangements proved how whole-hearted they were and how seriously they took the program.

We wondered why the Firm offered such a well-designed program. Their answer was that they hoped to build long-term relationships with us and stay in contact with us after we returned to China. The Chinese legal services market is huge, and Blank Rome is developing its place in it. Blank Rome hopes to learn more about China to understand its culture, business practices, political system, and legal industry through its rela-tionships with practicing attorneys and others involved in fields related to the law.

BLANK ROME TEMPLE-TSINGHUA INTERNSHIP ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

16 13

Blank Rome Named a 2017 “Best Law Firm for Women” by Working MotherBlank Rome has been named one of the 2017 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother magazine, marking the second year that the Firm has been recognized for its commitment to creating one of the best women-friendly workplaces in the United States. Working Mother’s annual list honors 50 U.S. law firms for their policies in the advancement of women, notably with regards to key factors such as female representation, flexibility, paid-time off and leaves of absence, leadership, and compensa-tion and advancement, as well as the development and retention of women.

“Blank Rome has a longstanding history of commit-ment to diversity and inclusion, and has been at the forefront of leading the legal industry with devel-oping and promoting policies and programs aimed at advancing women in the workforce,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome Chairman and Managing Partner. “Through our affinity groups such as the Women’s Forum, diversity programs, industry initia-tives, and professional and personal development offerings—including mentoring opportunities and alternative work arrangements—we are actively engaged in fostering the next generation of female leaders at our Firm, and our proud of their achieve-ments and successes as they grow within Blank Rome and our local communities.” p

Blank Rome Women’s ForumBlank Rome Women’s Forum is designed to provide our women lawyers with valuable network-ing, educational, and mentoring opportunities that support and promote career advancement, leadership development, and overall strategies to succeed—both inside and outside of the Firm.

We are proud that our women lawyers are consistently ranked and recognized for their pro-fessional accomplishments in their respective fields of practice by the likes of Chambers and Partners, Law360, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers, among others. Equally as important, Women’s Forum members are active in the bar and their communities, and generous in their support of one another.

“Our Women’s Forum regularly meets and holds events designed to bring the Firm’s female attor-neys and leaders together to support and promote career advancement, business development, leadership development, and overall strategies to succeed—both inside and outside of the Firm,” adds Lisa Casey Spaniel, Chair of the Firm’s Women’s Forum and Vice Chair and Partner of Blank

Rome’s Intellectual Property and Technology group. “It’s truly an honor to be a part of such an inclusive, forward-thinking firm, and to be recognized for our role in advancing women in the legal industry.”

“As our Women’s Forum continues to grow and evolve, we look forward to expanding on our current initiatives in this space, as well as exploring additional opportunities to advance and retain women in the workforce,” said Ms. Casey Spaniel. p

LISA CASEY SPANIEL

From L to R: Senior Counsel Raymond L. Shapiro, Temple Dean Louis Thompson, Partners Thomas E. Biron

and Carol A. Gershon, Féng Yànhuī (Gloria), Lǐ Qiūshí (Joe), Zhāng Dí (Maggie), Firm Secretary John M. Sperger, Hú Xuěméi (Vinee), Temple Office Manager of Graduate and International

Programs Farlistcity El, and Partner Timothy D. Pecsenye.

Two things impressed me the most during the program— punctuality and the significance the attorneys attached to details. We had a sense for how busy the attorneys in this Firm were. However, almost every attorney who was scheduled to meet with us appeared in the conference room on time, and, more often than not, they would be a couple minutes ahead of schedule. In addition, I was deeply impressed that the male attorneys and staff I met were all dressed in business suits, looking very dashing, and the female attorneys were so elegant that what I imagined about American lawyers, based on TV series, was completely satisfied.

During my internship, I was an eye-witness to how pro fessional ism was demonstrated in the day-to-day work and behavior of the Firm’s attorneys. In many people’s eyes, professionalism implies cold jargon, legal terms, detached logic, and even a lack of humanity. What I experienced at Blank Rome was totally different. Here, professionalism was shown by the business attire worn by the attorneys and staff, by the logical legal analysis, by taking a long-run perspective toward relationships, by training and mentoring, and by stepping into another’s shoes. Dealing with people well, respecting your rivals, valuing what your clients need, regarding everybody around you as a potential partner rather than only as a compe titor …  seeing all of these ideas in practice was one of the more rewarding and educating parts of my internship at Blank Rome. p

– Hú Xuěméi (Vinee) (Back row): Partner Christopher A. Lewis, Lǐ Qiūshí (Joe), (Bottom left to right): Hú Xuěméi (Vinee), Zhāng Dí (Maggie), Féng Yànhuī (Gloria).

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION BLANK ROME TEMPLE-TSINGHUA INTERNSHIP

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Arabella Mansfield (May 23, 1846 – August 1, 1911)

Arabella Mansfield, who made her career as a college educator, administrator, and activist, became the first female lawyer in the United States in 1869, when she was admitted to the Iowa bar after challenging a state law restricting the bar exam to males. As a result of her court challenge, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women and minorities into its bar. In honor of her legacy, the National Association of Women Lawyers named its most prestigious award after Ms. Mansfield, and the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys established the Arabella Mansfield Award to recog-nize outstanding women lawyers in the state. p

Blank Rome Partners with Diversity Lab and Leading Law Firms to Pilot ‘Mansfield Rule’Blank Rome is proud to be one of 30 leading law firms to pilot Diversity Lab’s “Mansfield Rule,” which launched June 2017. Named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admit-ted to the practice of law in the United States, the Mansfield Rule measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women and attorneys of color—at least 30 percent of the candidate pool—for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and lateral positions. The Mansfield Rule was one of the winning ideas from the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon hosted by Diversity Lab in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School.

“We have partnered with Diversity Lab on their pioneering programs since 2014, and are thrilled to be among the pilot law firms to adopt the Mansfield Rule,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing Partner. “For more than 70 years we have remained committed to our diversity and inclusion efforts at Blank Rome, and are proud of the great strides we have made in this regard. Having the opportunity to build upon the momentum we have established at Blank Rome and collaborate with our legal industry peers and Diversity Lab on this innovative initiative is truly exciting.”

With a similar goal in mind, Blank Rome created a vice practice group leader (“VPGL”) position in 2012 to train and mentor

its next generation of leaders. The VPGL position provides a unique opportunity for younger and diverse leaders to be more involved in Firm management. Since adding this level, the Firm has benefited from its leadership ranks expanding in size, and as a result, becoming more diverse. Over the past five years, a number of the VPGLs have been promoted to practice group leader positions, heading up their respective groups. As a result, more than 50 percent of practice groups now have a diverse practice group leader at the helm and women and minorities currently make up more than 40 percent of the Firm’s practice group leader team.

The Mansfield Rule was inspired by the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which was created by the late Dan Rooney in 2003 and is now supported by his son, Art Rooney II, President of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Rooney Rule requires every NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach vacancies. In the years following its implementation, the number of minorities hired to fill head-coach roles doubled.

Law firms that successfully pilot the Mansfield Rule over the next year will be designated “Mansfield Certified” and have the opportunity to send their recently promoted diverse partners to a two-day client forum in late 2018 to build relationships with and learn from influential in-house counsel. p

Blank Rome Responds to Events in Charlottesville, Virginia

This past August, Blank Rome Chairman and Managing Partner Alan J. Hoffman personally addressed the events that unfolded in Charlottesville, Virginia, and reaffirmed Blank Rome’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, both throughout the Firm as well as publicly to the legal industry and beyond, as noted in The Legal Intelligencer’s coverage on August 18, in the section “Big Law Speaks Out.”

Dear Colleagues, Blank Rome was formed in 1946 because our founders did not stand idly by in the face of discrimination and anti-Semitism, even as others in our legal community tacitly accepted discriminatory ideas about who was allowed the privilege to practice law in many established law firms. Our founders stood up and took action to create a firm where people of diverse backgrounds could gather together to practice law. To honor our history, we must speak out about these events that are repugnant to our notions of tolerance and civility, and to our country’s founding principles of equality and justice. There is no moral equivalence for bigotry. During these challenging times, we reaffirm Blank Rome’s dedication to our core value and founding principle—an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion. We are stronger because of our diversity, and are proud that Blank Rome remains a place where we can find friends and colleag ues who support, respect, and genuinely like one another. p

ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSIONBLANK ROME RESPONDS TO EVENTS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

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Blank Rome Joins Women in Law Hackathon and Women in Law Hackathon Alliance

Last summer, the Diversity Lab completed its first-ever Women in Law Hackathon, a new Shark Tank-style pitch competition aimed at generating innovative ideas to close the gender gap in law firms. Blank Rome was one of fifty-four top law firms, along with talent and diversity thought leaders and Stanford law students, who worked collaboratively in virtual teams from January through June 2016 to devise initiatives designed to help retain and advance experienced women in law firms. The teams pitched their ideas to a panel of nine high-profile judges at Stanford Law School on the final day; the top three teams selected by the judges received prize money from Bloomberg Law to donate to nonprofit organizations helping to advance women in the legal profession and beyond.

Blank Rome was proud to be an inaugural participating firm in this important initiative to advance women in the legal profession, with Daniel E. Rhynhart, Chair of Blank Rome’s Commercial Litigation group, repre-senting the Firm. At the competition, Mr. Rhynhart was joined by team members from other AmLaw 100 firms, a Stanford law student, and a diversity leader serving as the team’s coach, as well as Associate Kathy E. Herman, who initially joined the Firm through its participation in the OnRamp Fellowship.

In December 2016, Blank Rome joined the Women in Law Hackathon Alliance, Phase II of Diversity Lab’s Women in Law Hackathon. To date, 36 law firms, including Blank Rome, have signed on to join the Hackathon Alliance. Of these firms, Blank Rome is one of only eleven that has participated in the OnRamp Fellowship, and to date has welcomed two Fellows to the Firm.

Most recently, Blank Rome partnered with Diversity Lab to pilot its “Mansfield Rule,” which is aimed at advancing women and attor-neys of color in the legal industry. Learn more about the Firm’s participation in this initiative on the following page. Blank Rome was also proud to host the Firm’s inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit and Legal Hackathon, held September 14-15 in Washington, D.C., which further enhanced and strengthened Blank Rome’s banner year for supporting and promoting female attorneys and women’s initiatives. See highlights from the Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit starting on page 2. p

Blank Rome’s Daniel E. Rhynhart (far right) with his 2016 Women in Law Hackathon team members.

Blank Rome received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (“CEI”), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (“HRC”) Foundation. With this score, Blank Rome has been designated for the third year in a row as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the HRC, and joins the ranks of 609 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.

“We are honored that the HRC continues to recognize Blank Rome’s dedication and commit-ment to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Chairman and Managing Partner at Blank Rome. “Since the Firm’s inception more than 70 years ago, we have been actively engaged in promoting workplace equality, and in the last year alone, Blank Rome has been honored by numerous organizations for our role in advancing equality as well as women and minorities in the legal industry and beyond—a commitment that we are dedicated to continuing through our Firm’s leadership, Diversity Committee, and affinity groups.”  p

Blank Rome Earns Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign’s Scorecard on LGBTQ Workplace Equality

Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign (left) with Blank Rome’s Alan J. Hoffman (right). Photo credit: Judy Rolfe Photography.

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Blank Rome Secures Landmark Victory in New York’s Highest Court on Behalf of Pro Bono ClientIn August 2016, Blank Rome and co-counsel secured a victory before the New York State Court of Appeals on behalf of a non-biological, non-adoptive lesbian mother, Brooke Barone, who sought shared parenting time and financial responsibility for a child she and her former same-sex partner, Elizabeth Cleland, planned for and raised together. Overturning a 25-year precedent, the court held, “… that where a partner shows by clear and convincing evidence that the parties agreed to conceive a child and to raise the child together, the non-biological, non-adoptive partner has standing to seek visitation and custody under” New York’s Domestic Relations Law.

Blank Rome Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby led the Blank Rome team repre-senting pro bono client, Ms. Barone. On the day of the court’s landmark decision, Ms. Canby stated, “Today is a really gratifying day to be a lawyer. The Court’s decision to overturn Alison D. v. Virginia M., a decades-old decision that defined parenthood in an overly restrictive and discriminatory fashion, finally provides trial courts with the latitude to look at the facts of a custody matter and determine a just result on a case-by-case basis. We are hopeful that this decision will not only change the law for future families facing these issues, but also remedy tragedies that have transpired under Alison D. for 25 years.” She continued, “Cases like this cannot be won without the devotion of pro bono resources by large law firms. Nurturing a case of this kind requires a labor of love from law firms, attorneys, and amici groups alike.”

Many prominent legal and child welfare experts filed friend-of-the-court (amicus) briefs on the side of Ms. Barone and her son, including the New York State Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and 45 family law academics on the faculty of every law school in New York State.

In addition to Ms. Canby and Ms. Krauss-Browne of Blank Rome, who represent Ms. Barone on a pro bono basis, the legal team includes Susan Sommer of Lambda Legal and Brett Figlewski of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York. The child is represented by R. Thomas Rankin of Goodell & Rankin and Eric I. Wrubel, Linda Genero Sklaren and Alex R. Goldberg of Warshaw Burstein, LLP, who, along with Ms. Barone, also sought reversal of the decisions of the lower courts.

The case is Brooke S.B. v. Elizabeth C.C. p

At the New York State Court of Appeals on June 2, 2016. From L to R: Brett Figlewski, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York; Susan Sommer, Lambda Legal; client Brooke Barone; and Blank Rome’s Margaret Canby and Caroline Krauss-Browne.

Melanie S. Carter is an associate in Blank Rome’s Philadelphia office. She regularly counsels cli-ents in a full range of business matters, including contractual disputes, issues relating to product liability, white collar criminal defense litigation, and complex real estate issues. She is experi-enced with several types of proceedings and, in addition to representing clients in federal and state court, she has practiced before federal arbitration panels, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and municipal boards. p

Who are your favorite writers?Do Instagrammers count? If so, then definitely @theloufiles. Most recently, I have been reading post- apocalyptic novels, such as Station Eleven, The Passage series, and now I’m reading The Postmortal.

Who is your hero of fiction?Hermione Granger

Who are your heroes in real life?My mom. And the Notorious RBG.

How would you like to die?Asleep in a hammock on a partly sunny day

What is your motto?Health is wealth!

What is your favorite journey?This journey called life! And any walk in the woods.

What is your favorite quote?•    “ When someone shows you who they are, believe

them the first time.”•    “Fortune favors the bold.” •     “The struggle is real.”

What items do you carry with you at all times?Debit card, iPhone, work phone, sunglasses, keys, ID, cash, and Chanel lipstick

What is your favorite movie from childhood?The Princess Bride

What is your favorite holiday? Lundi Gras (the Monday before Mardi Gras), and Thanksgiving

What is your Myers-Briggs Type?INFP – Introversion + Intuition + Feeling + Perception, aka, “The Mediator”

What is your idea of perfect happiness?Drinking a LaColombe latte whilst answering a Proust Questionnaire. Nirvana!

Which living person do you most admire?My mom. She’s resilient, incredibly creative, unwaveringly loving, and can make anything grow.

What is your greatest extravagance?I am a loyal purchaser of a spirulina and chlorella powder from a health shop in Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. I also cater to the whims of my cat, Carmen Cuddlebutt, M.D. (still paying for those med school loans).

Which talent would you most like to have?I wish I could play the violin

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?My cat has a pretty sweet life

Where would you most like to live?On a lake in the mountains just on the edge of the delivery area for Amazon Prime

What is your favorite occupation?When I was a kid, I wanted to be an artist

What do you most value in your friends?Honesty

MELANIE S. CARTER

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Blank Rome Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby were named “2017 Trailblazers” in The National Law Journal’s “Divorce, Trusts & Estates” category. This year’s honorees were selected out of “hundreds of nominations” received by The National Law Journal (“NLJ”), and notably recognized for “continuing to make their mark in various aspects of legal work in the areas of family law, trusts & estates.” Each recipient has a common thread that ties them together, according to the NLJ, which is “a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” p

Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby Named “2017 Trailblazers”

Blank Rome Receives LeGaL Foundation’s 2017 Community Vision AwardBlank Rome was honored with the 2017 Community Vision Award at the LeGaL Foundation Annual Dinner in New York City on Friday, April 6, 2017, in honor of the Firm’s “distinguished record of service to the LGBTQ community, including a sustained commitment to achieving equal rights for all members of the LGBTQ community.” Blank Rome Partners Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby accepted the award on behalf of the Firm and in recognition of their commitment to the LGBTQ community through their pro bono work and significant victory in Brooke S.B. v. Elizabeth C.C. Blank Rome is honored to receive this award in recognition of Ms. Krauss-Browne and Ms. Canby’s milestone victory for the LGBTQ community at large as well as the Firm’s long-standing commitment and dedication to providing outstanding pro bono service and fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. p

From L to R: Client Brooke Barone; Brett Figlewski, LeGaL Foundation; and

Blank Rome’s Caroline Krauss-Browne and Margaret Canby.

CAROLINE KRAUSS-BROWNE MARGARET CANBY

Megan R. Wood is an associate in Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C., office. She focuses her practice on patent litigation, patent prosecution, and IP due diligence in support of corporate mergers and acquisitions. With respect to her litigation practice, she has been a critical member of multiple litigation teams that have achieved favorable settlements and a victory before the Federal Circuit on behalf of Firm clients. With respect to her prosecution practice, Ms. Wood has successfully prosecuted numerous patent applications resulting in notices of allowance (patents) for clients in the electrical, chemical, and medical device fields. p

The Blank Rome Proust Questionnaire: Megan R. Wood and Melanie S. Carter, LCLD Pathfinders

Made popular by Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire was created to help readers learn all the fascinating ins and outs of a featured personality. With the purpose of spotlighting and getting to know Blank Rome professionals who are leaders in advancing diversity and inclusion at our Firm, Blank Rome Partner Sophia Lee produced an adapted Proust Questionnaire for our attorneys. In this edition of Perspectives, Associates Megan R. Wood and Melanie S. Carter are featured.

What is your Myers-Briggs Type?ESTJ – Extraversion + Sensing + Thinking + Judgment, aka, “The Executive”

Which living person do you most admire?Ruth Bader Ginsburg

What is your greatest extravagance?Traveling

Which talent would you most like to have?Telepathic abilities

Where would you most like to live?On a beach

What do you most value in your friends?Being trustworthy

Who are your favorite writers?As cheesy as it sounds, Nicholas Sparks

Who is your hero of fiction?Atticus Finch

Who are your heroes in real life?My uncle, Michael Wood

How would you like to die?Old and gray in my sleep

What is your favorite journey?Climbing two fourteeners in Colorado (mountains that are at least 14,000 feet high)

What is your favorite quote?“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

What items do you carry with you at all times?Metro card, credit card, and the Batphone (aka, my work phone)

What is your favorite movie from childhood?A League of Their Own

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

MEGAN R. WOOD

THE BLANK ROME PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE PROMOTING LGBTQ EQUALITY

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Blank Rome Partner and Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion Christopher A. Lewis, as well as Partners Sophia Lee, Amy Joseph Coles, Brian S. Paszamant, and Mary T. Vidas, served as panel speak-ers at the Pennsylvania Diversity Council’s 8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference. The conference was held on Thursday, August 31, 2017, at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue.

This year’s conference theme was “Fostering Equity through Inclusion,” and focused on educating and creating local dialogue on diversity and inclusion as well as celebrating the wide array of differences in our communities. Ms. Lee spoke on the panel, “Leadership: How to Inspire, Influence & Achieve Results,” Ms. Cole and Mr. Paszamant spoke on the panel, “Millennials and the Workplace,” and Mr. Lewis spoke on the panel, “Unwritten Rules of Corporate America.” Film Director Spike Lee delivered the keynote address. p

Blank Rome Attorneys Speak at the Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference

Blank Rome attorneys and Firm clients with film director Spike Lee at the 8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference.

LCLD PathfindersTo help support the Firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, Blank Rome joined the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (“LCLD”), an organization that is dedicated to creating a truly diverse legal pro-fession. Blank Rome Associates Megan R. Wood and Melanie S. Carter were elected in recognition of their achievements and successes to represent the Firm in the 2017 LCLD Pathfinders Program, a landmark program created to identify, train, and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession. p

Pictured: Blank Rome’s Melanie S. Carter (L) and Megan R. Wood (R) at the LCLD Spring Pathfinders Conference, hosted by Adobe in San Jose, California.

LCLD PATHFINDERS8TH ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

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Blank Rome Partners Mary T. Vidas and Brian S. Paszamant were recognized for their leadership and commitment to diversity and inclusion at the Pennsylvania Diversity Council’s 8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference.

Ms. Vidas was named one of the “Most Powerful and Influential Women” by the Council. Each year, this recognition honors women in the Philadelphia region who provide leadership in the public or private sectors, sustain a record of accomplishments to their field of work, and exhibit a commitment to the highest ethical standards and professional excellence.

Mr. Paszamant was presented with a “Leadership Excellence Award,” which distinguishes a select group of individuals from diverse fields who exhibit exceptional leadership qualities. The focus of the award is to give prominence to the accomplishments of men and women who exceed the scope of what is expected in their organizations and communities. p

Mary T. Vidas and Brian S. Paszamant Honored at the Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference

Blank Rome’s Mary T. Vidas receiving the Most Powerful and Influential Women Award.

Blank Rome’s Brian S. Paszamant receiving the Leadership Excellence Award.

An impressive number of CLOs have already signed onto the pledge. But those who have monitored diversity in the pro-fession will quickly recall that this is not the first time general counsels have made such a pledge. Most notably, in 2004, Richard Palmore, then general counsel of Sara Lee, issued the “Call to Action,” asking his fellow general counsels to make decisions regarding the use of law firms based in significant part on the diversity performance of the firms. More than 100 leading general counsels signed Palmore’s Call to Action, but despite this support, the legal profession continued to lag behind other professions in diversity and inclusion, and the ABA, in adopting Resolution 113, noted that progress has stalled notwithstanding an increasingly diverse pool of talent graduating from law schools.

Will this time be different? Three factors suggest that the pro-fession may have reached a key inflection point.

ABA Resolution 113: Is This Time Different?

First, the ABA plays a unique role in the legal profession. The ABA’s explicit adoption of the Model Survey provides a seal of approval for diversity and inclusion efforts that cannot be easily ignored or dismissed. Second, the ABA openly embraced Justice Brandeis’ maxim that “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” The collection of the data provides transparency regarding law firm diversity that will spur laggards to improve their numbers. Finally, it is often said that “what gets measured gets done.” The Model Survey establishes a uniform and standardized framework for evaluating law firm demographics and firms’ diversity efforts.

With the advent of the Model Survey, the “business case for diversity” now takes center stage. Hopefully, this time is differ-ent and change is on its way. To read more about Resolution 113 and the Model Survey, please visit ABA Resolution 113. p

By Christopher A. Lewis

Last year, on August 8, 2016, the American Bar Association (“ABA”) House of Delegates adopted Resolution 113 to help promote diversity in the legal profession. Resolution 113 embraced a two-pronged approach: 1) urging law firms and corporations to expand and create opportunities at all levels for diverse attorneys, and 2) urging clients to direct a greater percentage of the legal services they purchase, both currently and in the future, to

In furtherance of the Resolution, the ABA asked chief legal officers (“CLOs”) of the Fortune 1000 to make five commitments:

To support ABA Resolution 113.1

To ask firms that provide a significant portion of their legal services to complete the ABA’s Model Diversity Survey (the “Model Survey”).

2

To agree to require firms that are not currently retained and are competing to handle a signifi-cant matter to complete the Model Survey.

3

To agree that the information obtained through the Model Survey will be used as a factor in determining which firms to retain or terminate in providing legal services to the company.

4

To advise the ABA that the CLO supports the above principles, so that the ABA can maintain and publish an ongoing list of CLOs who have committed to the principles.

5

CHRISTOPHER A. LEWIS

ABA RESOLUTION 113 8TH ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

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In addition to the accolades and stories featured throughout this edition of Perspectives, below are some recent appoint-ments, recognitions, thought leadership pieces, and events that our attorneys have topped headlines with. For a full list of news items, visit Diversity News and Diversity Recognitions. For a full list of events, speaking engagements, and sponsorships, visit Diversity Events. p

Stanley B. Tarr Named “Minority Business Leader” – Philadelphia Business Journal Partner Stanley B. Tarr was honored in recognition of his professional accomplishments, community leadership, and philanthropy in the Philadelphia community.

Trial Lawyer Diversity Inched Up Over Decade, but Is That Too Slow? – The Legal IntelligencerPartner Sophia Lee comments on state of trial lawyer diversity, improving metrics that measure diversity in the legal profession, and reducing implicit bias in hiring processes.

Pictured from L to R: Blank Rome’s Christopher A. Lewis, Stanley B. Tarr, Mark M. Lee, and Regina Stango Kelbon.

Blank Rome’s Eric G. Fikry (left) pictured with CCBA Immediate Past President Louis R. Moffa.

Recent Diversity and Inclusion Highlights

Eric G. Fikry Appointed President of the Camden County Bar Association – Camden County Bar Association

Partner Eric G. Fikry has been appointed as the 91st president of the Camden County Bar Association, which places him as the first Asian Pacific American attorney to serve as CCBA President.

… Around the Summit

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHONMORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Alen H. Hsu Receives 2016 Legal Advisor of the Year Award – Sterling 5, Inc. Associate Alen H. Hsu received the 2016 Legal Advisor of the Year Award by Sterling 5, Inc., a Florida-based information technology staffing firm specialized in solutions integration and management consulting.

Alen H. Hsu Appointed to the Committee of The Florida Bar Journal and The Florida Bar News Editorial Board – The Florida Bar Association Associate Alen H. Hsu has been selected by the Florida Bar Association to serve a three-year term on the committee of The Florida Bar Journal and The Florida Bar News editorial board.

Lawrence J. Beaser Named “Champion of the Year” – SeniorLAW Center Partner Lawrence J. Beaser was honored in recognition of his advocacy for the rights of seniors and the significant impact he has made in improving the lives of others.

Now at the Top, Pa. Women Dealmakers Look to Grow Ranks – The Legal IntelligencerPartner Linsey B. Bozzelli expands on gender equality in the legal industry and her professional experience of becoming a top woman dealmaker in Pennsylvania.

How Big Firms Are Working to Improve the Future for Women in Law – FairyGodBossPartner Daniel E. Rhynhart discusses his involvement in Diversity Lab’s Women in Law Hackathon and his commitment to advancing women in law.

Margaret Canby Appointed to New LGBT Commission – New York State Unified Court SystemPartner Margaret Canby has been appointed to serve as a member of a new LGBT commission to highlight and address issues of concern to LGBT members within the justice system and legal profession.

Judge Nathaniel R. Jones Nominated for a NAACP Image Award – NAACP Of Counsel Judge Nathaniel R. Jones received his nomination in the “Literature: Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Auto-Biography” category for his memoir, Answering the Call. 

Seen and Heard …Below is a snapshot of what attendees had to say about the Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit on social media.

Blank Rome’s Alen H. Hsu (left) with Sterling 5, Inc. President Chaithanya Sama.

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHON MORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Gender Equality: The State of Our UnionBlank Rome was a proud sponsor of “Gender Equality: The State of Our Union,” the inaugural program of The Foundation for Gender Equality, held in New York City on April 25. Blank Rome Partner Marilyn B. Chinitz serves on the board of directors for the Foundation and also sponsored the event. Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, and Amy Ziering, award-winning documentary film producer, gave compelling keynote speeches to an at-capacity audience. Ms. Jarrett spoke on “Is Gender Equality Possible in the 21st Century?” and Ms. Ziering spoke on “Sexism, Lies and Videotape: Feminism and Responsibility in the 21st Century.” 

Blank Rome’s Marilyn B. Chinitz with members of The Foundation of Gender Equality Board of Directors.

Blank Rome’s Saminaz Akhter (right) and guests at the Firm’s Black Broadway of U viewing.

Winning Hackathon IdeasBlank Rome is committed to launching the following winning ideas at the Firm this year.

JUDGES’ WINNER

INdorsee Program

Putting a point-person on the inside to

get to know our clients

Research has consistently shown that poor communication and flawed understanding between in-house and outside counsel is not only a drag on produc-tivity, but can also ruin relationships. By putting an INdorsee—essentially, a firm attorney who works from their client’s office for a set number of hours each week, for an agreed-upon time period—on the inside, outside counsel can gain invaluable insight and build relationships that allow the firm to quickly identify issues and opportunities, effectively manage projects and, ultimately, deliver better results. The client gets a law firm that truly comprehends their business, and the firm gets a more efficient client relationship. Additionally, the INdorsee builds relationships and gains experiences that will serve them well throughout their careers.

JUDGES’ WINNER

Spotlight Events

Creating a platform to recognize and celebrate women

and minority attorneys

A lack of women and minority leaders remains a chronic problem in the legal profession, creating an opportunity for firms that can success fully hire, retain, and promote underrepresented groups. Drawing on existing marketing budgets and adapted business plans, Spotlight Events gives firms and their clients an actionable way to collaborate and highlight the accomplishments of their women and minority attorneys, advancing their careers as well as the organization’s reputa-tion. Law firms and clients will work together to decide who gets featured, mutually deepening their relationship. Over time, staffing decisions will begin to reflect a firm culture that celebrates diversity, with women and minorities being given greater opportunities. Firms and their clients will reap the rewards of such success.

CROWD FAVORITE

Client Collaborative Billing

Rewarding lawyers for facilitating better collaboration

with clients

The standard metrics for measuring the value of an attorney-client relationship can seem impossible to align, creating an obstacle to collaboration. Attorney-client tension is alleviated by Client Collaboration Billing, which rewards attorneys for building stronger relationships with clients—without charging them more. The firm incentivizes attorneys to increase collaboration with their clients by providing billable hour credits for activities that enhance the relationship. The added cost is quickly offset by more efficient and durable relationships between the firm and their clients. In-house attorneys get more engaged outside counsel, while the firm offers improved services to further enhance client relationships.

Black Broadway on UIn honor of Women’s History Month, Blank Rome’s Attorneys of Color Affinity Group held a viewing of Black Broadway on U on March 30, at Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C., office. The short film tells the story of the influen-tial African American community on U Street in the early 1900s, once known as “Black Broadway,” which served as a prominent symbol of black culture and sophistication amid racial and political tension in America. Following the viewing, Shellée M. Haynesworth, executive producer and creator of Black Broadway on U: A Transmedia Project, highlighted notable African American women who lived and worked on U Street during that time. 

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month DinnerIn celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Blank Rome’s Attorneys of Color Affinity Group hosted a dinner on May 16, at Noreetuh in New York. The modern Hawaiian restau-rant, located in the East Village, is run by veterans of Per Se. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Members of the affinity group enjoyed dinner in an intimate setting, which facilitated lively conversations and a fantas-tic time by all.

Members of Blank Rome’s New York Attorneys of Color Affinity Group and guests at the Group’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month dinner.

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHONMORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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APABA-DC Transitions Panel Blank Rome’s Attorneys of Color Affinity Group hosted APABA-DC’s (Asian Pacific American Bar Association-DC) Transitions Panel on Wednesday, March 8, at Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C., office. The event included a light reception, panel discussion, and Q&A session. Associates Ji Young Park and Victoria Ortega, who were both recently appointed as vice-chairs of the affinity group’s D.C. team, hosted the meeting on behalf of the Firm with assistance from Morgan Fraser Mouchette, a co-chair of the affinity group’s New York team. Partner Sophia Lee joined the APABA-DC panel, along with other attorneys who have successfully made the shift from one sector to another in the legal industry, and provided insight and advice to attendees who are looking for a new job or considering the next stage in their legal careers. 

Blank Rome’s Ji Young Park and Sophia Lee (bottom left) and members of the APABA-DC Panel.

A Conversation with Nationally Renowned JournalistsIn honor of Black History Month, Blank Rome held an insightful conversation about politics, the change in administration, and the media on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, in the Firm’s Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C., offices. The panel featured Yamiche Alcindor, national reporter for The New York Times; Erica Brown, multimedia journalist for CBS News; and Harold Jackson, editorial page editor for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

From L to R: Blank Rome’s Christopher A. Lewis, Donna Tolbert, and Philadelphia Inquirer’s Harold Jackson.

Blank Rome was proud to host the Firm’s inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit and Legal Hackathon, which was held September 14-15 in Washington, D.C. The summit further enhanced and strengthened Blank Rome’s banner year for supporting and promoting female attorneys and women’s initiatives, both at the Firm and in the legal industry and beyond. Learn more about the Firm’s commitment to advancing women in law on page 10.

The Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit was an exclusive two-day event that brought together women leaders in law to participate in a unique exercise to “hack” specific challenges related to the ever-evolving legal landscape, and propose innovative ideas and solutions on the topics of 1) in-house and outside counsel collaboration, 2) diversity and inclusion, and 3) community involvement that Blank Rome is committed to supporting and advancing.

The summit featured several leading experts—including Eve Runyon from the Pro Bono Institute, Catherine Moynihan from the Association of Corporate Counsel, and Lori Lorenzo from the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity—who gave TED-style talks on best practices related to the topics mentioned above. The Firm also welcomed Judy Smith, crisis man-agement expert, lawyer, author, and television producer, for a Q&A session. She is the founder and president of the crisis management firm Smith & Co. Her work in crisis management is the inspiration for the hit television series, Scandal.

For the hackathon portion of the program, the Firm partnered with Caren Ulrich Stacy, CEO, Diversity Lab, and Founder of the OnRamp Fellowship and Women in Law Hackathon. Learn more about Blank Rome’s continued support and participa-tion in Diversity Lab initiatives, including its newly created “Mansfield Rule,” on page 11. p

BLANK ROME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AND LEGAL HACKATHON MORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Picnic Blank Rome sponsored the 13th Annual KozyakMinority Mentoring Foundation Picnic, which was held on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at Amelia Earhart Park in Miami, Florida. The Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation’s primary goal is to build an effective pathway to diversity in the legal profession by providing opportunities and support to minority and women law students through mentoring programs, net-working, and fellowships. The annual picnic gives diverse law students an unparalleled opportunity to network with lawyers and judges from all areas of Florida and the legal profession in an informal and fun environment. 

From L to R: Blank Rome’s Sophia Lee, 6abc’s Nydia Han, and Blank Rome’s Scott F. Cooper, Alan J. Hoffman, and Christopher A. Lewis.

4th Annual Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity Award Reception Blank Rome hosted the 4th Annual Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity Award Reception on Thursday, January 26, 2017, in the Firm’s Philadelphia office. The award was presented to Partner Scott F. Cooper, who serves as chair of the Firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. Nydia Han, 6abc Consumer Reporter and co-anchor of Action News on Sunday mornings, keynoted the event. The Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity Award is presented annually to a Blank Rome attorney or professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting diversity within the Firm. It is named after Blank Rome Of Counsel Judge Nathaniel R. Jones, who previously served as the Firm’s first Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion. 

From L to R: Blank Rome’s David S. Ehrlich, Anthony R. Yanez, Jose R. Riguera, and Alen H. Hsu.

Blank Rome’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has been at the foundation of the Firm’s core values since 1946, when the Firm was established by a group of attorneys who were barred from joining many established law firms because of their religion. The founders’ vision for the Firm was of a work environment where people of diverse backgrounds could gather to practice law and bring their “whole selves” to work. As a result, Blank Rome remains supportive of all of our professionals and is proud of the national recognition we have received for our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Notably, the Firm received a perfect score of 100 percent in the 2018 Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (“HRC”) Foundation. With this score, Blank Rome has been designated for the third year in a row as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the HRC.

In addition, Blank Rome was honored with the 2017 Community Vision Award by the LeGaL Foundation for our longstanding commitment to the LGBTQ community through our pro bono work and landmark victory in Brooke S.B., which overturned the harmful precedent of barring non-biological parents in same-sex relationships from access to their children. The Firm was also named one of the 2017 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother magazine, and was recognized by Bloomberg for our record women partner promotions and our commitment to Diversity Lab’s Women in Law Hackathon Alliance, an initiative that brings law firms from across the

country together to increase gender parity in the top ranks of the legal profession. The Hackathon Alliance follows our Firm’s participation in Diversity Lab’s first-ever Women in Law Hackathon, a Shark Tank-style competition that brought together high-level partners from law firms across the coun-try with industry experts and Stanford Law students to create innovative solutions aimed at advancing and retaining experi-enced women lawyers in law firms. Blank Rome is also proud to be one of 30 leading law firms to pilot one of the winning hackathon ideas, Diversity Lab’s “Mansfield Rule,” which mea-sures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women and attorneys of color—at least 30 percent of the candidate pool—for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and lateral positions.

These are just a handful of accolades and commitments that demonstrate Blank Rome’s dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion throughout the Firm, the legal industry, and beyond. We look forward to continuing our diversity initiatives through not only honoring our founders’ vision for the Firm, but also through the recruitment and retention of diverse attorneys, sponsorship of diversity events across the country, and promotion of internal diversity events. Perspectives will keep you informed on Blank Rome’s latest diversity news and events as well as provide you with insight on current diversity issues in the legal industry and beyond.

I hope you enjoy our inaugural newsletter and welcome your feedback. p

A Note from Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing PartnerI am pleased to present the inaugural edition of Perspectives, Blank Rome’s diversity and inclusion newsletter brought to you by Christopher A. Lewis, Chief Officer of Diversity and Inclusion, and our Firm’s dedicated Diversity Committee members.

ALAN J. HOFFMAN

A NOTE FROM BLANK ROME’S CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING PARTNERMORE BLANK ROME IN THE NEWS

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Contents

A Note from Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Blank Rome Women’s Leadership Summit and Legal Hackathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ABA Resolution 113: Is This Time Different? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

LCLD Pathfinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Blank Rome Proust Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Advancing Women in the Legal Profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Blank Rome Temple-Tsinghua Internship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Blank Rome Responds to Events in Charlottesville, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Promoting LGBTQ Equality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

8th Annual Philadelphia Diversity & Leadership Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

More Blank Rome in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement and Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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 the Firm representing, among other things,

different races, genders, ethnic groups, religions, sexual orientations, and national origins.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE:

CO-CHAIRSChristopher A. Lewis Deborah A. Franzblau

EX-OFFICIO Hon. Nathaniel R. Jones Mark Blondman Julie Dressing Brooke Iley Ori Portnoy Donna Branca FLORIDA Jose Riguera

HOUSTON Susan Bickley Jeremy Herschaft Russell Wong

LOS ANGELES Cheryl Chang Joseph Doloboff Jason Kim

NEW YORK Beth Bernstein Morgan Mouchette Mayling Blanco Kathleen Cunningham Diana Eng Michael Scheffler Deborah Skakel Samantha Wallack Nk Udogwu

PHILADELPHIA Lisa Casey Yelena Barychev Linsey Bozzelli Sophia Lee Mark RabinowitzGreg Vizza

PRINCETON Nikhil Heble Adrienne Rogove

WASHINGTON Charles MonterioGabriella Ziccarelli WILMINGTON Victoria Guilfoyle

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

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www.blankrome.com/diversity

Cincinnati • Fort Lauderdale • Houston • Los Angeles • New York • Philadelphia • Pittsburgh • Princeton • San Francisco • Shanghai • Tampa • Washington • Wilmington

©2017 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.

LLP

DECEMBER 2017

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion in Practice