Mainbrace | March 2018 (No.1)
Chambers Global 2020 recognized Blank Rome as a global leader in Shipping: Litigation–Global-wide, as well as Partner John D. Kimball as a leading shipping litigation attorney. Continue reading “Chambers Global 2020 Ranks Blank Rome Attorneys and Shipping Litigation Practice”
In Memoriam: Judge Nathaniel R. Jones
It is with great sadness that we share the news that our beloved colleague and friend Judge Nathaniel R. Jones passed away on Sunday, January 26, at age 93. Judge Jones joined Blank Rome in 2002 and served as our first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
He was integral in helping to foster and promote our rich culture of inclusion throughout the Firm, and selfless in sharing his time and unmatched perspective with so many of us who are better people for having known him. In collaboration with Chris Lewis and Sophia Lee—his successors in the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer role—we have developed a thriving and nationally recognized diversity and inclusion program that reflects his vision and passion. In 2013, we developed the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity and Inclusion Award, which is presented annually to a Blank Rome attorney or professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion. We are grateful to have the opportunity to honor and remember Judge Jones through this important award that will forever bear his name.
In Judge Jones’ obituary, our Cincinnati Office Chair Michael Cioffi notes, “Nate Jones was the kind of hero America needed that (Martin Luther) King described as ‘an extremist for justice’ in ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail.’ Nate’s unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the rule of law made him a great lawyer and great man. His genuine humility and everyday kindness made him loved by all, including those on the other side of the political spectrum. His life is an important lesson and model to us all.” We couldn’t agree more. While we have lost one of the brightest legal minds and civil rights advocates of our time, his groundbreaking work, steadfast compassion, and inspirational life and legacy will surely live on through the countless lives he has touched—both at Blank Rome and around the world.
To learn more, please visit In Memoriam: Judge Nathaniel R. Jones.
Blank Rome Announces 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Update
Sophia Lee Continues as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer in 2020; Christopher Lewis Transitions to Emeritus Role
Blank Rome is pleased to announce that Sophia Lee will serve as Blank Rome’s Firm-wide Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Christopher A. Lewis has transitioned to an emeritus role, effective January 1, 2020. Sophia and Chris have served as co-chiefs since January 2019, when Sophia joined Chris in this capacity. Chris was appointed to the role in May 2011 and has transformed the Firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts in significant ways.
As Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Sophia will continue to work closely with the Firm’s leadership on strategic initiatives and programming, including recruiting and mentoring; client partnerships, education programs, and special events; general counsel and thought leader roundtables; career development and advancement programs; and ongoing community outreach. She will also continue to chair the Firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and work closely with the Firm’s BR Pride, BR United, and Women’s Forum affinity groups.
“I am excited to step into the role of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, leading the Firm’s charge of increasing diversity, embracing inclusion, and advancing equity as we look to the future of the legal profession—from addressing the concerns of our legal communities to meeting the need of our clients,” said Sophia. “Standing on the shoulders of those who have come before me, the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones, our Firm’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, followed by Chris Lewis, I will be a steadfast advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity who recognizes the legacy of our Firm’s founders, elevates our difficult discussions, and continues to push forward toward our ambitious goals and objectives. On a personal note, I am grateful to Chris for his mentorship, championship, and friendship as we have worked together over the years on the Firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and with the broader legal community.”
To learn more, please visit Blank Rome Announces 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Update.
Blank Rome Earns Perfect Score in 2020 Corporate Equality Index
Firm Receives 100 Percent for the Fifth Year in a Row on Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Scorecard on LGBTQ Workplace Equality
Blank Rome is proud to announce that the Firm has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2020 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 fifth year in a row as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the HRC, and joins the ranks of major U.S. businesses that earned top marks this year.
The 2020 CEI rated 1,059 businesses in the report and evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices, including non-discrimination workplace policies, domestic partner benefits and transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, public commitment to the LGBTQ community, and responsible citizenship. Blank Rome’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”
To learn more, please visit Blank Rome Earns Perfect Score in 2020 Corporate Equality Index.
As another year comes to a close, it is a perfect opportunity to evaluate the challenges and opportunities that we faced—and hopefully, embraced and overcame—as well as the goals we will set for the year ahead. Whether in the personal or professional realm, in the maritime industry or beyond, a good team is always greater than the sum of its parts.
In this final Mainbrace edition for 2019, we take a look at progressive topics involving the ever-developing legal, regulatory, and financial landscape for autonomous vessels, as well as current developments regarding climate change and renewable energy in the maritime industry.
We also revisit key discussions involving insolvency-related judgments under chapter 15; exercising maritime liens against cargo and sub-freights; effectively utilizing personal jurisdiction matters; and the reach and limitations of U.S. forfeiture law. All of these timely articles remind us that the maritime industry continues to evolve, grow, and change—sometimes slower than we’d like, and other times at lightning speed—and we must therefore continue to work together to understand and safely adapt to important shipping developments as they occur.
We also highlight some of the recent accomplishments, recognitions, and newsworthy developments both within our Maritime group and our Firm as a whole. We are incredibly proud of our Blank Rome family of attorneys and professionals for working diligently every day to ensure that our clients, colleagues, and communities are valued and appreciated, and we are humbled and honored to receive recognition from our clients, peers, and the legal industry in doing so.
May the final weeks of 2019 bring peace and prosperity to you and yours during the holiday season and new year celebrations. We look forward to continuing our quarterly Mainbrace editions in the year ahead and working with you in 2020 and beyond.
EDITOR, Mainbrace
THOMAS H. BELKNAP JR.
Partner
212.885.5270
tbelknap@blankrome.com
Blank Rome was named to Forbes’ inaugural America’s Top Trusted Corporate Law Firms list. In particular, Forbes recognized our Firm’s work in Banking & Financial Services as our “most recommended practice area.” Blank Rome is proud to join this select group of leading law firms ranked in this year’s list.
According to Forbes, the magazine partnered with Statista, a market research company, to create its first-ever list of 243 top U.S. corporate law firms, ranging from firms well known in the corporate and legal worlds to boutique firms that focus on very specific branches of the law.
For more information, please visit Blank Rome Named to Forbes List of America’s Top Trusted Corporate Law Firms.
Blank Rome’s Maritime practice was ranked in the top national and regional tiers for Admiralty & Maritime Law in the 2020 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report–Best Lawyers.® Overall, the Firm was nationally ranked in 30 practice areas and regionally ranked in 82 practice areas.
Blank Rome’s highly ranked services and industries in this year’s survey include:
SERVICES
INDUSTRIES
For more information, please visit Blank Rome Highly Ranked in U.S. News–Best Lawyers® 2020 “Best Law Firms.”
2019 MIDLEVEL ASSOCIATES SURVEY
Blank Rome was notably ranked as one of the top five firms for midlevel associate satisfaction in The American Lawyer’s national 2019 Midlevel Associates Survey, and in the top 10 regionally for Los Angeles (#1), Philadelphia (#2), New York (#2), and Washington, D.C. (#8).
The annual survey asked third-, fourth-, and fifth-year associates to examine several aspects of job satisfaction, including compensation and benefits; training and guidance; relations with partners and other associates; interest in and satisfaction level with the work; the firm’s policy on billable hours; and management’s openness about firm strategies and partnership chances.
For more information, please visit Blank Rome Ranked Top 5 in The American Lawyer’s 2019 Midlevel Associates Survey.
2019 SUMMER ASSOCIATES SURVEY
Blank Rome was recognized as one of the top 10 law firms for summer associate satisfaction in The American Lawyer’s national 2019 Summer Associates Survey, and notably ranked regionally for Washington, D.C. (#1), Philadelphia (#4), and New York (#25).
The annual survey asked summer associates employed by the nation’s largest law firms to examine several aspects of job satisfaction, including quality of work, training and guidance, partner and associate interaction, and overall rating as a workplace.
For more information, please visit Blank Rome Highly Ranked in The American Lawyer’s 2019 Summer Associates Survey.
Blank Rome was named the Excellence in Maritime Law award winner at the 2019 Lloyd’s List Americas Awards, held on September 25, 2019, in Houston, Texas. The coveted award recognizes “exemplary expertise and commitment to the shipping industry as well as innovation through which lawyers have played a crucial role in notable cases, restructuring, or dispute resolution.”
The Lloyd’s List Americas Awards, which this year was combined with a unique content forum focused on Future Fuels, are part of the global Excellence in Shipping Awards, the industry’s flagship awards program that recognizes and rewards excellence across all sectors of maritime.
Keith B. Letourneau and Jeanne M. Grasso, co-chair and vice-chair, respectively, of Blank Rome’s Maritime practice group, accepted the award together on behalf of Blank Rome Maritime.
For more information, please visit Blank Rome Wins Lloyd’s List 2019 Excellence in Maritime Law Award.
Who’s Who Legal 2019 has recognized five Blank Rome Maritime attorneys as “Global Leaders” in Shipping. In addition, 13 of Blank Rome’s attorneys were recognized as “Thought Leaders” and/or “Global Leaders” in five practice areas across the Firm.
GLOBAL LEADERS IN SHIPPING
Per Who’s Who Legal, “nominees were selected based upon comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practice lawyers worldwide. Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.”
For more information, please visit Blank Rome Attorneys Recognized by Who’s Who Legal 2019.
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that on September 3, the Chicago office relocated to a new and permanent location at 444 West Lake Street. The Firm occupies 12,000 square feet of space on the 16th floor that can accommodate 30 or more attorneys and professional staff. Known as River Point, 444 West Lake is a 52-story, 1,050,000-square-foot, world-class office tower that just opened in 2017. It is conveniently located in Chicago’s West Loop on the corner of Lake and Canal Street and is steps away from the Chicago River, public transportation, and the highway.
To meet the current and future needs of clients who are based in or do business in Chicago, Blank Rome entered the market in June 2019 with the addition of Partners Kenneth J. Ottaviano, who also serves as Office Chair, Karin H. Berg, William J. Dorsey, and Paige Barr Tinkham.
“Our Chicago colleagues have been off to a great start,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO. “When considering locations for our Chicago office, we were committed to finding a location that was modern, efficient, and well equipped to help us best serve our clients. We are thrilled to call 444 West Lake our new Chicago home, and look forward to continued growth in such a vibrant and successful market.”
“We are excited to settle into our new space,” said Mr. Ottaviano. “Karin, Will, Paige, and I are confident that 444 West Lake will provide us with the perfect setting to grow and thrive. This location underscores Blank Rome’s commitment to Chicago as well as to our clients and the Firm’s ongoing national expansion efforts. We are eager to welcome our clients and colleagues from across the country to our new office and great city.”
UPDATED CHICAGO TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Karin H. Berg
Partner, Finance
312.776.2513
kberg@blankrome.com
Updated vCard
William J. Dorsey
Partner, Business Litigation
312.776.2512
wdorsey@blankrome.com
Updated vCard
Kenneth J. Ottaviano
Chair, Chicago Office Partner, Finance
312.776.2511
kottaviano@blankrome.com
Updated vCard
Paige Barr Tinkham
Partner, Finance
312.776.2514
ptinkham@blankrome.com
Updated vCard
Blank Rome LLP Chicago
444 West Lake Street | Suite 1650 | Chicago, IL 60606 | 312.776.2600
Candid conversations, unfiltered insights, and a dose of hard-earned wisdom from influential women, committed to helping other women succeed and lead.
Have you ever met a fabulous, accomplished woman and wondered how she got to where she is today? Not only that, but where is she going from here and who is she taking with her? In Seriously Driven, host Marilyn Chinitz, a partner in the Matrimonial & Family Law practice at Blank Rome LLP, talks to successful women about their careers, roadblocks they’ve overcome, what or who they credit for their achievements, the other influential women in their lives, what it takes and means to become a leader, and how they mentor future leaders.
TEASER EPISODE: Introducing Seriously Driven
In this teaser episode, host Marilyn Chinitz talks about how she has thrived both professionally and personally and how her podcast guests have, too. Here you can listen to a preview of episodes 1 and 2, which feature Wendy Federman, the Tony-award winning Broadway producer, and Dr. Erika Schwartz, a pioneer in the field of health and wellness and author of the book Don’t Let Your Doctor Kill You: How to Beat Physician Arrogance, Corporate Greed and a Broken System.
For more information, please visit Seriously Driven Podcast: Introducing Seriously Driven.
