Stacy D. Phillips and Christopher A. Lewis Receive Blank Rome’s 2021 Distinguished Diversity & Inclusion Awards
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that our firm presented partner Stacy D. Phillips with the Bonnie Glantz Fatell Women’s 2021 Advocacy and Leadership Award, and partner and chief diversity and inclusion officer emeritus Christopher A. Lewis with the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) at Blank Rome, across the legal industry, and within their local communities.
“We are honored to present Stacy and Chris with our firm’s notable diversity and inclusion awards,” said Krystal Studavent Ramsey, Blank Rome’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion. “Stacy and Chris are trailblazers who exemplify the vision, dedication, and commitment needed to make a meaningful and lasting impact to advance progressive DEI initiatives and goals, both within our firm and throughout our legal industry and communities at large.”
STACY D. PHILLIPS • Partner, Matrimonial & Family Law
Bonnie Glantz Fatell Women’s 2021 Advocacy and Leadership Award Recipient
The Bonnie Glantz Fatell Women’s Advocacy and Leadership Award is presented annually by Blank Rome’s Women’s Forum in recognition of an attorney or professional who has contributed significantly to women’s advocacy and leadership, both at the firm and in their communities. The award is named in honor of Blank Rome’s late colleague, Bonnie Glantz Fatell, and is a lasting tribute to her legacy and contributions to Blank Rome and the countless lives she touched during her nearly 35 years with the firm.
“I am deeply humbled to receive this truly meaningful award,” said Stacy. “Bonnie was an inspirational trailblazer not only in our legal community and the firm, but also in the lives of everyone she met. I am honored to continue Bonnie’s legacy of supporting and promoting women in every area of their lives, and to continue collaborating with Blank Rome’s leadership and our Women’s Forum to provide meaningful diversity and inclusion initiatives, programs, and events that will advance this critical mission.”
A deserving recipient of this distinguished honor, Stacy is one of the country’s most well-known and respected family law practitioners and notably recognized as a mentor, community leader, and fierce supporter of women. She has guided clients through critical transitions in their lives for more than 36 years with experience in every facet of family law, handling primarily high-net-worth and high-profile divorce, custody, and domestic violence cases. She is known for her skilled persuasion, adept negotiation, aggressive advocacy, and compassion in representing her clients, whether in litigation, mediation, or Collaborative Divorce. She is also an author, philanthropist, and sought-after speaker and commentator on family law issues.
In honor of her leading practice, Stacy is annually recognized by noteworthy publications and legal surveys as a leader in her field of law, including Chambers High Net Worth, Lawdragon 500, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers. She has also been honored by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a “Most Influential Woman Attorney” and one of the “Los Angeles 500 Most Influential People” since 2018 and 2016, respectively.
CHRISTOPHER A. LEWIS • Partner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Emeritus
The Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipient
Inaugurated in 2013, the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Diversity and Inclusion Award is presented annually to a Blank Rome attorney or professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion within the firm. The award is named in honor of Nathaniel R. Jones, a trailblazing civil rights leader, activist, and former judge who joined Blank Rome in 2002 and served as the firm’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this important award,” said Chris. “Throughout his life, Judge Jones ‘answered the call’ to advance equal opportunity rights and justice around America and the world, and was integral in helping to foster and promote our firm’s rich culture of diversity and inclusion. He was selfless in sharing his time and unmatched perspective with so many of us who are better people for having known him, and I am proud to honor his memory by continuing to promote his vision and passion for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at Blank Rome and beyond.”
In May 2011, Chris took on the mantle to serve as Judge Jones’ successor as Blank Rome’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Chris transformed the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts in significant ways, including enrolling in Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule program; engaging the firm in various Leadership Council on Legal Diversity programs; promoting and supporting Blank Rome’s Women’s Leadership Summit; and launching Perspectives, the firm’s annual diversity and inclusion newsletter, to name a few.
In addition to his dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion at Blank Rome, Chris has a robust legal practice that focuses on energy and public utility law, representing utilities, electric generation suppliers, developers, and others in regulatory proceedings, litigation, and transactional matters. He is also actively engaged on the board of the Philadelphia Energy Authority.