PHILADELPHIA — Stradley Ronon partner Danielle Banks has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Award in recognition of her career-long dedication to advancing women and diverse lawyers in the legal profession. Danielle is set to be officially recognized at the association’s summer quarterly meeting on June 20 in Philadelphia.
The Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Award — named in honor of the first woman justice of the U.S. Supreme Court — is given annually by the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Women in the Profession Committee to an outstanding woman lawyer who exemplifies the qualities that the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor demonstrated in her work and life.
“Danielle is a champion for equality and justice, an outstanding mentor, and a leader who embodies professional excellence,” Stradley Ronon Co-Chair Jeffrey Lutsky said. “Danielle deserves this award for her significant impact on countless individuals in the legal and business communities across the Philadelphia area.”
In their letter of recommendation on behalf of Danielle, Stradley Ronon associates Chelsea Biemiller and Melissa Perry wrote: “Apart from her prominence in the Philadelphia legal field, Danielle is a champion for women lawyers at Stradley Ronon. At every opportunity, Danielle shows she values our opinions and trusts our judgment. She employs a collaborative rather than a top-down approach and truly invests in our professional development.”
Danielle is a known leader in employment and labor law and devotes a significant amount of her time to defending businesses, universities and governmental entities against employment discrimination claims. She also regularly counsels clients and is a frequent speaker on issues of race, employment, diversity and inclusion. Danielle currently serves as the diversity chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association.
About Stradley Ronon
Counseling clients since 1926, Stradley Ronon has helped private and public companies — from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations — achieve their goals by providing pragmatic, value-driven legal counsel. With offices in nine locations, our responsive team of more than 200 lawyers seamlessly addresses the full spectrum of our clients’ needs, ranging from sophisticated corporate transactions to complex commercial litigation.