Blank Rome is pleased to announce that Regina Stango Kelbon, partner and co-chair of the firm’s Business Department, has been recognized in the inaugural ABF Journal Legends & Leaders issue honoring standout professionals shaping the future of specialty finance.
Regina is featured in the Trailblazer category, which highlights leaders who are breaking barriers and setting new standards in the industry. These honorees are not just participants in the specialty finance space—they are defining it.
Honorees were selected through a rigorous nomination and review process conducted by ABF Journal’s editorial board and staff. Each individual is profiled in the issue, highlighting their career journey, achievements, and lasting impact on the industry.
To view the ABF Journal Legends & Leaders issue, please click here.
Regina’s profile, as published by ABF Journal, is copied below.
Regina Stango Kelbon
Co-Chair of Business Department
Blank Rome LLP
Regina Stango Kelbon, a Partner at Blank Rome LLP and Co-Chair of its Business Department, leads the firm’s national bankruptcy, restructuring and specialty insolvency finance practice. Known for her strategic insight and collaborative approach, Kelbon excels at navigating complex financial situations with creativity and precision.
Kelbon’s legal practice spans a wide spectrum of clients, including agents, institutional lenders, asset purchasers, private equity sponsors, committees and debtors. Her experience encompasses complex Chapter 11 reorganizations, out-of-court restructurings, liability management exercises, DIP financing, intercreditor relationships and lender liability issues. Known for her confident demeanor during high-pressure situations, Kelbon finds fulfillment in representing secured creditors in fast-paced, high-stakes bankruptcy financings, complex restructuring support agreements, contested Chapter 11 plans and Section 363 auction sales — situations she likens to an “emergency room” law practice.
At Blank Rome, Kelbon has held several roles, including Practice Group Leader of the Finance, Restructuring and Bankruptcy Group, Philadelphia Office Chair and now co-Department Head of the firm’s Business Department overseeing more than 300 attorneys.
Kelbon has earned recognition as a “Star Individual” in Bankruptcy/Restructuring by Chambers USA and was selected as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy in 2014. Currently, she serves as the National Chair of the Education Committee of the American College of Bankruptcy and Co-Chair of the Corporate Governance Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Business Bankruptcy Committee. Her commitment to serve her community was also recognized with the 2023 Catholic Social Services Project Magis Award for two decades of volunteer work at the Mercy Hospice homeless shelter.
A selfless leader, she mentors junior lawyers and facilitates speaking engagements, webinars and strategic introductions to elevate their professional careers. Through her positions with various professional committees, she ensures that talented individuals have opportunities to demonstrate their skills and grow professionally.
Ultimately, Kelbon’s enduring legacy lies in her exceptional ability to blend legal expertise with genuine compassion and integrity, impacting her clients, team and the next generation of professionals.
