Dee Spagnuolo, a partner in Ballard Spahr’s Philadelphia office, has been named to the National LGBT Bar Association’s “Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40” list.
The award will be presented at the 2012 Lavender Law Conference August 23-25, 2012, in Washington, D.C. It is given to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender legal professionals under the age of 40 who have demonstrated excellence in their field and shown a profound commitment to LGBT equality.
“I am honored by this recognition from the National LGBT Bar Association,” said Ms. Spagnuolo. “I am humbled to be included in such an impressive group of legal professionals.”
A member of the Litigation Department and the White Collar/Investigations Group, Ms. Spagnuolo focuses her practice on the representation of companies and individuals in all aspects of complex civil litigation, internal corporate investigations, and compliance and regulatory matters. She has defended clients in civil litigation and criminal investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), state and federal false claims acts (FCA), and disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) compliance.
Ms. Spagnuolo has demonstrated her commitment to LGBT equality through her extensive pro bono work to advance LGBT civil rights. She has provided testimony in the Pennsylvania legislature in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Ms. Spagnuolo also leads a team of nearly a dozen other Ballard Spahr attorneys working in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Gay and Lesbian Rights Committee to develop a report that analyzes the disparate ways in which same-sex couples are treated under Pennsylvania law.
Ms. Spagnuolo acknowledged Ballard Spahr’s commitment to diversity, crediting the firm as an open and supportive workplace for LGBT attorneys. The firm is home to several affinity groups, including Equality Ballard: the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Lawyers and Friends Group.