Below is a roundup of the recent awards, recognitions, and other important accomplishments of Blank Rome’s Matrimonial & Family Law attorneys from around the country.
| Kristina Royce Honored as a 2021 Leader of Influence by the Los Angeles Business Journal December 2021 – Kristina Royce was recognized as a 2021 Leader of Influence: Thriving in their 40s by the Los Angeles Business Journal. This annual honor spotlights leading professionals in the Los Angeles region who are in the 40’s age demographic and demonstrate ongoing success both in business and throughout their communities. |
| Kristina Royce Profiled by Modern Luxury Silicon Valley December 2021 – Kristina Royce was profiled in the December 2021/January 2022 edition of Modern Luxury Silicon Valley. Royce spoke about how a successful marriage is like a good business partnership. “Get educated about the tremendous financial consequences that arise during a marriage,” she said. “Start by being transparent and continue throughout the marriage—each party has the right to equal access to records, accounts, and passwords. Communicate about money and investment strategies from the start,” Royce said. Not only will this approach create a strong foundation, “discussing difficult topics builds trust and respect, which are essential in healthy partnerships” she added. “Financial intimacy is every bit as critical to a marriage’s success as physical and emotional intimacy.” |
| Michelle M. Gervais Authored Article for the Sports Business Journal December 2021 – Michelle M. Gervais authored the article “Top 5 Pandemic Takeaways from an Athlete’s ‘Ray Donovan,’” which was published in the Sports Business Journal on December 8, 2021. “As an attorney for professional athletes, I thought I’d seen it all,” she wrote. “But the past 20 months posed novel challenges (see: death threats during a virtual draft) while raising the stakes on nearly everything else—from real estate deals and co-parenting to salary cuts and the renewed importance of social justice.” |
| Stacy D. Phillips Featured in the Los Angeles Times B2B Inspirational Women Magazine December 2021 – Stacy D. Phillips was featured in the Los Angeles Times B2B Inspirational Women Magazine, in which she discussed her insights from her virtual panel session, “Mentoring the Next Generation,” which was held at the Inspirational Women Forum & Awards on October 26, 2021. “I encourage everyone to seek to be a mentor and/or mentee,” she said. “Although we primarily talked about more senior women mentoring younger women, mentoring across the sexes and ages can also be valuable.” |
| Kristina Royce Interviewed by Modern Luxury: Los Angeles Confidential November 2021 – Kristina Royce was interviewed for the article, “A Conversation with Entertainment Fixers: Blank Rome’s Kristina Royce & Mary Craig Calkins,” which was published in the November 2021 edition of Modern Luxury: Los Angeles Confidential. Along with our Blank Rome Insurance Recovery colleague Mary Craig Calkins, Royce spoke about protecting her public figure clients’ considerable assets. “In the entertainment industry, that means protecting royalties, brand franchises, and intellectual property interests, as well as financial analyses of family-owned businesses, valuations, and configuring support cash flow,” the article said. “With a strong financial background and more than two decades in family law, Royce has earned a reputation as a problem solver who wins difficult cases.” |
| Blank Rome Highly Ranked for Family Law in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® 2022 “Best Law Firms” November 2021 – Blank Rome LLP was ranked as Tier 1 in Los Angeles and New York City for Family Law in the 2022 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers®. |
| Morgan Fraser Mouchette Authored Article for Forbes November 2021 – Morgan Fraser Mouchette authored the article “Adele’s New Divorce Album Should Make Artists and Their Spouses Consider the Protections of a Confidentiality Agreement,” which was published in Forbes on November 30, 2021. “When news of the divorce between Adele and Simon Konecki first broke, collective anticipation of the superstar singer’s forthcoming album grew to a frenzy,” she wrote. “Adele shared that ‘30’ would be inspired by her divorce, and fans eagerly awaited to hear her feelings about the split revealed in song. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 on November 19, 2021, and had the biggest week for any album released to date this year. But with the couple’s divorce finalized only recently in May of 2021, “30” stands out as more than a traditional smash release. It could also illustrate how creative freedom and confidentiality converge when big-name artists tap actual life experiences like a divorce to inspire creative works, navigating what they can and can’t reveal.” |
| Alan R. Feigenbaum Authored Article for New York Law Journal November 2021 – Alan R. Feigenbaum authored the article, “Unmasking the Beauty of an Enforceable Pro Bono Obligation,” which was published in the New York Law Journal on November 23, 2021. “Amidst the noteworthy contributions being made by many of our fellow citizens, as we emerge from the depths of the pandemic this author is compelled to take a detour from my traditional focus (the practice of family law) to question how, if at all, the role of the lawyer—when it comes to trying to facilitate equal access to justice—is in need of improvement,” he wrote. |
| Stacy D. Phillips Received Bonnie Glantz Fatell Women’s 2021 Advocacy and Leadership Award October 2021 – Stacy D. Phillips was presented with the Bonnie Glantz Fatell Women’s 2021 Advocacy and Leadership Award, which 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.” |
| Holly W. Kimmel Joined Blank Rome as Family Law Of Counsel in Fort Lauderdale October 2021 – Holly W. Kimmel has joined Blank Rome LLP’s nationally recognized Matrimonial & Family Law practice group as of counsel in the Fort Lauderdale, FL, office. Holly joins the firm from Aronsohn Weiner Salerno and Kaufman. She is a skilled and experienced litigator and mediator who focuses her practice on complex family and matrimonial law matters, including prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, divorce proceedings, equitable distribution of assets, alimony, child custody, parenting time, and related support matters. Holly is also a certified divorce coach who has significant experience assisting clients navigate the emotional aspects of divorce outside of the litigation arena. |
| Stacy D. Phillips Spoke at the Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing Inspirational Women Forum & Awards October 2021 – Stacy D. Phillips moderated the panel, “Mentoring the Next Generation,” at the Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing Inspirational Women Forum & Awards, which was held on October 26, 2021, as an online, virtual event. Blank Rome was proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of the event, which recognized female business leaders who have demonstrated noteworthy success and accomplishments during the last 24 months. |
| Ernestine J. Mings Interviewed the Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy at NYWBA Event October 2021 – Ernestine J. Mings led the discussion on a Zoom interview with the Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, on October 20, 2021. The event was hosted by the New York Women’s Bar Association (“NYWBA”), of which Ernestine serves as Diversity Committee Co-Chair. Justice Kennedy serves as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, New York County Supreme Court. The NYWBA was founded in 1934 and is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving the status of women in society, educating women lawyers and assisting them in professional development and advancement, and promoting the fair and equal administration of justice. |
| Morgan Fraser Mouchette Served as Panelist at Legal Marketing Association Conference October 2021 – Morgan Fraser Mouchette served as a panelist for the Legal Marketing Association (“LMA”) webinar, “A Process of Inclusion—How Marketers Can Help Law Firms to Successfully Recruit and Retain Diverse Hires,” which was hosted by the LMA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Special Interest Group, on Monday, October 18, 2021. |
| Erica A. Swensson Spoke at ABA 2021 Section of Family Law Fall CLE Conference October 2021 – Erica A. Swensson served as a panelist on the “Don’t Mini-Mize Your Efforts: Strategic and Ethical Approaches to Custody Evaluation and the Use of Forensic Consultants” panel for the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) 2021 Section of Family Law Fall CLE Conference, held in Orlando, Florida. Erica’s session on October 8, 2021, explored the best practices for custody evaluations by presenting how to plan for the end game from the beginning. The panel presented strategies for the ethically driven use of expert consultants in a cost-effective and focused manner for cases of all kinds–whether the client chooses to support the report or challenge it. |
| Michelle M. Gervais Featured as Co-Presenter on Federal Bar Association myLawCLE Program October 2021 – Michelle M. Gervais served as a co-presenter for the Federal Bar Association myLawCLE program, “Florida Divorce Law 101 (2021 Edition),” which was held October 7, 2021, as an online webinar and is also now available as an on-demand video. Michelle’s session covered what can and cannot be waived in prenuptial agreements, issues to consider, and how prenuptial agreements can be attacked or set aside. She provided tips to consider for drafting confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements and ideas for speaking with clients as to overall negotiation and strategy. |
| Michelle M. Gervais Named to Florida Trend’s List of 500 Most Influential Executives 2021 October 2021 – Michelle M. Gervais has been named to the “Florida 500” for the third year in a row, honoring her as one of the 38 attorneys recognized in this year’s “Law” category. Published annually as a special supplement of Florida Trend magazine, the notable “Florida 500” list highlights the most influential executives in different economic sectors throughout the state. |
| Lois J. Liberman Interviewed by FOX 5 NY on Removal of Britney Spears’ Father as Conservator of Her Estate September 2021 – Lois J. Liberman was interviewed by FOX 5 NY about a judge agreeing with Britney Spears’ request to immediately suspend her father, Jamie Spears, from serving as the conservator of her $60 million dollar estate. “The fact that an appointment of a conservatorship or guardianship could go on for years without an appropriate review, is extremely unusual,” Liberman said. |
| Marilyn B. Chinitz Interviewed by CBSN New York on Nursing Home Staffing Shortages September 2021 – Marilyn B. Chinitz was interviewed by CBSN New York for a September 27, 2021, news report on the current staff shortage in nursing homes and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nursing homes. |
| Alan R. Feigenbaum Authored Article for New York Law Journal September 2021 – Alan R. Feigenbaum authored the article, “Professional Organizations in Family Law Need to Stay Relevant,” which was published in the New York Law Journal on September 23, 2021. “Both the Family Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (New York Chapter) and other organizations are comprised of matrimonial practitioners that, by choice, dedicate time to the betterment of matrimonial law and practice,” he wrote. “In short, these organizations try to shape the practice of family law, including by keeping the lines of communication open between practitioners and judges. Because family law can have such an immediate, direct impact on the litigants, it is important that the exchange of ideas that flows from keeping those lines of communication open continues into the future.” |
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