Recognized individuals must have the ability to effect change in their area of practice, serve as a role model or mentor, and must hold a leadership position outside their organization. Both Bale and Pope are based in Reed Smith’s Chicago office.

Siddesh Bale focuses on mergers and acquisitions and emerging company/venture capital transactions. He represents public and private companies, private equity firms, and investment and hedge funds in an array of corporate transactions. He serves as partner chair of Reed Smith Asian-American business inclusion group. Recently, he was appointed to the governing board of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms.

Keyonn Pope focuses on intellectual property litigation, representing clients in matters involving utility patent, design patent, trademark, trade secret, unfair competition, and copyright infringement. He also handles media and entertainment matters; for example, he is representing the estate of an internationally known jazz musician. Pope is on the executive committee of the Jazz Institute of Chicago and the board of the Shriver Center for Poverty Law.