This is awarded to a corporation that has a longstanding history of supporting the Commercial Law Section and promoting diversity internally and externally. The award is named after John Lewis who served as managing counsel for The Coca-Cola Company for 13 years ad as Coca-Cola’s global chief diversity officer, where he consistently championed diversity and inclusion efforts for corporate counsel.

This is a fellowship awarding a $1,500 financial award for registration and travel expenses to attend the NBA Commercial Law Section’s Corporate Counsel Conference.  The fellowship is made possible by Lisa M. Hathaway and honors the legacy of Jean-Marie Sylla, who was the founding partner in the Washington, DC based law firm, Taylor, Sylla & Agin, LLP, specializing in insurance, commercial, business, and real estate litigation. He was a dedicated member of the National Bar Association (NBA), where he served as General Counsel from 2015-2016; former member of the NBA Board of Directors; an Executive Committee Member of its Commercial Law Section. Jean-Marie was also an active member and 2015 Diversity Fellow of the American Bar Association’s Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division. Jean-Marie passed away on September 30, 2016 at the age of 47.  Jean-Marie was survived by his mother Delia Sylla, his long-time love Lisa M. Hathaway, his children Joelle and Jean-Marie, III, and by a host of cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, colleagues, and fraternity brothers from the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

The John Page Corporate Counsel Leadership Summit Trailblazer Award celebrates the contributions and impact of trailblazing leaders in the corporate counsel community. It honors visionary leadership as well as commitment to unselfishly and innovatively investing in the development of the corporate lawyer.  The award is named after John Page who in 2009 helped launch the Corporate Leadership Forum (“CLF”) during the NBA Annual Convention. He saw a need and had a vision for more corporate counsel to engage with the NBA, develop their leadership acumen, and develop business relationships and opportunities through learning and sharing from one another. His vision and legacy persists with the Summit, and extends beyond the Summit. John continuously advocates for enhanced business development, leadership and legal training opportunities for diverse corporate attorneys.