The Summit also featured powerful keynote speakers and conversations with influential women across diverse fields.
BLANK ROME’ S 8TH ANNUAL WOMEN’ S SUMMIT
We were honored to host the 2025 Blank Rome Women’ s Summit in Philadelphia, a dynamic two-day event that brought together women in law and business to explore this year’ s theme:“ The Future of Work.” With a focus on the evolving landscape of the modern workplace, the Summit featured inspiring speakers, interactive workshops, and meaningful conversations designed to empower and equip attendees with the tools to lead through change.
A highlight of the program was an engaging workshop led by Jen Leonard, founder of Creative Lawyers, a company that works with leaders in the legal industry to drive creative solutions that respond to an era of significant change. Jen guided attendees through a research-backed framework for navigating uncertainty and driving innovation. All attendees walked away with actionable strategies to enhance decision-making, reduce resistance, and foster creative problem-solving within their organizations.
• In a discussion moderated by Blank Rome’ s Stephanie Gantman Kaplan, Melissa Fitzgerald— best known for her role as Carol on the television series The West Wing— joined us for a fireside chat where she discussed her roles as a New York Times best-selling author, producer, and advocate for social justice reform. In an inspiring talk, she shared her journey, which has taken her all the way from Hollywood to The Hill where she now advocates for veterans and individuals affected by mental health and substance use disorders.
• Shelly Kapoor Collins, a venture capitalist and investment partner with Sway Ventures, where she leads early-stage investing in technology companies founded by women and diverse founders, gave a dynamic keynote about how technology can be the greatest equalizer in the workplace.
• Blank Rome’ s Susan L. Bickley led a vibrant discussion with Lara Price, Chief Operations Officer of the Philadelphia 76ers and one of the highestranked women in the National Basketball Association, that provided valuable lessons in leadership from the sports and entertainment world.
• Blank Rome’ s Sharon R. Klein moderated a dynamic client panel, which covered daily workplace concerns, technology and innovation, future trends, leadership, well-being, and more. Speakers included Blank Rome’ s Brooke T. Iley; Sonia Galindo, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for KBR Inc.; Marie Batz Martin, Chief Compliance Officer at Coherent Corp.; and Aditi Oakley, Assistant General Counsel at Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc.
We proudly continued our tradition of giving back to worthwhile, national nonprofit organizations focused on women and girls, which we began at our 2018 Women’ s Summit. For 2025, we chose The Wardrobe as our organization, a nonprofit dedicated to eradicating clothing insecurity. In advance of The Wardrobe’ s annual Prom Attire Giveaway, attendees donated formal attire, including dresses, shoes, jewelry, and bags, to help local students feel confident and celebrated during this milestone event. The drive was a huge success, and we are proud to support a meaningful cause.
The 2025 Women’ s Summit was a celebration of leadership and a testament to the power of community, purpose, and a shared vision for the future of work.
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