November 25, 2014 - Reed Smith LLP today announced Michael Bleier, a partner in the firm’s Pittsburgh office was awarded the prestigious Frank Simpson III Award by the American Bar Association’s Banking Law Committee at its annual fall meeting earlier this month in Washington, D.C.
The award is presented to individuals who have served the Banking Law Committee in the tradition of Frank Simpson III, the Committee’s former Chair, who died in 1993. Bleier is the 17th recipient of the award, which was first presented in 1994, but is not made annually. Maureen Young, Chair of the Banking Law Committee, presented the award to Bleier.
“Michael is very deserving of the Simpson Award,” said Perry A. Napolitano, Leader of Reed Smith’s Financial Industry Group, of which Bleier is a member. “His practice at our firm, at Mellon Financial Corporation and Mellon Bank, and at the Federal Reserve has been exemplary. We could not be more proud of him or pleased that the Banking Law Committee’s decision to honor Michael this way.”
Bleier was not expecting the recognition.
“To be recognized with the Frank Simpson Award by one’s peers and betters is truly humbling and meaningful,” said Bleier after receiving the award. “To be deemed a part of such an illustrious group of past honorees is quite special.”
According to the organization’s description of Simpson’s contributions, “The Committee existed for decades, but it expanded from a relatively small band of attorneys in 1978 to about 200 members in 1984. The subcommittee structure that is now the backbone of the Committee was created by Frank [in 1981]. Frank created and sustained the collegial atmosphere of the Committee which makes it possible for all of us to speak freely at Committee meetings without fear of being criticized or scorned because we might make a mistake. Frank knew far more about banking law than most of us, yet he always welcomed our comments on the state of the law, as well as our suggestions and comments for administering the Committee, without ever being judgmental. Frank was selfless, always thoughtful of others and a true friend. Indeed, in my last conversation with him, he went out of his way to offer to assist me in some relatively unimportant personal matter, never mentioning that he knew, as he must have known, that he was dying.”
“Frank Simpson’s traits according to those who knew him were those of a mentor, a quality practitioner and a giving person,” said Bleier. “Those standards are quite high, but I intend to continue to act in a manner that affirms the Banking Law Committee’s decision.”
Bleier joined Reed Smith in 2007, after serving as General Counsel for Mellon Financial Corporation and as manager of legal affairs for Mellon Bank, NA. Before joining Mellon, he served in the Legal Division of the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C. for 11 years, leaving in 1982 as Assistant General Counsel, responsible for the Bank Holding Company group.
A current member of Financial Services Regulatory and Hedge Fund Groups at the firm, Bleier is recognized in Chambers 2014 as one of America’s leading banking and finance lawyers.
Bleier graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1965. He was a member of the Lawyers Council of the Financial Services Roundtable, which he chaired from 1994-1998. He is also currently a member of BNA Banking Report’s Advisory Board.
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