The annual WIPL honors are hosted by American Lawyer Media’s Corporate Counsel magazine. Honorees were highlighted at an in-person awards event in New Orleans on Oct. 18.
Innovative Leadership
Casey Ryan, who became Reed Smith’s first woman global managing partner in March, was among eight recognized this year for their law firm leadership. Ryan was noted for being a trailblazer in progressive workplace policies and practices, and for spearheading state-of-the art, best-in-class resources at Reed Smith.
Among Ryan’s recent innovations are Reed Smith Associate Life, a collection of innovative programs, incentives and benefits providing associates a strong foundation of training, mentoring and work/life supports to promote their progress through the partnership pipeline. Ryan also launched Reed Smith Associate Advantage, an intensive three-year professional development program tailored to fast-track associates for early career success.
Other Reed Smith resources devised by Ryan include Wellness Works, an initiative to support employees’ physical and mental health; and the firm’s Family Network, with comprehensive benefits for family forming, childcare, tutoring, peer-to-peer networking, and support for work-life balance.
Best Mentor
Silicon Valley-based partner Katy Basile was among six honored for mentorship efforts in Big Law. One of the firm’s leading trademark law practitioners, Basile has mentored legions of up-and-coming lawyers over her 35 years in law, many of whom have gone on to high-profile legal careers.
Driven by a commitment to empower others, especially young lawyers and individuals in marginalized groups, Basile enables her mentees to become competent, confident and capable in all areas of their lives.
This is the second honor for mentoring that Basile has received this fall. She and counsel Katrina Kershner are co-finalists, as mentor and mentee, for the 2023 Mentorship Award at this year’s upcoming California Legal Awards in San Francisco on Nov. 2.
In 2021, Basile’s mentorship of the firm’s Black junior attorneys earned her recognition as a “Top US Advocate” on EMpower’s Ethnic Minority Role Model List.