Corporate Counsel and InsideCounsel, leading ALM publications devoted to coverage of the in-house community, have honored Richmond partner Jacquelyn E. Stone with a prestigious National Women in Law Award for Lifetime Achievement. Stone is one of only six women to receive the Lifetime Achievement accolade from ALM, which also publishes The American Lawyer and The National Law Journal.
In announcing the winners, Corporate Counsel and InsideCounsel noted: “These women stand out because they are business strategists, complex problem-solvers, and of course, great lawyers. And as important (especially to them) is that they are great people-leaders — they care more about the success of the team than their individual success.”
Stone, a Harvard Law School graduate, was a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives before joining McGuireWoods in 1985. She handles business matters, legislative concerns before the Virginia General Assembly, and regulatory issues before state and federal agencies. She has more than 25 years of experience in immigration and nationality matters, and works closely with the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and the Department of Labor.
Stone served as McGuireWoods’ firmwide Hiring Partner for more than 20 years, created and chaired the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and was instrumental in developing family leave and flex-time initiatives. As the first African-American woman named a partner in a major law firm in Virginia, Stone has been a driving force in making diversity and inclusion a McGuireWoods core value and she is a leader in advocating for increased representation of diverse lawyers as an essential component of delivering the best client service.
Among her many community activities, Stone serves on the board of Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization, whose mission is to develop programs that inspire and educate underrepresented, underserved and at-risk students and improve diversity in the legal profession.
“Jackie is an exceptional attorney and a trailblazer for women and diverse lawyers, as well as a mentor to me and countless others who have built successful careers at McGuireWoods,” said Jonathan Harmon , the firm’s chairman. “We are a stronger firm because of her skills and leadership, and we are proud that she has received this well-deserved accolade.”
“I am honored to receive a National Women in Law Award from Corporate Counsel and InsideCounsel,” Stone said. “McGuireWoods understands that diversity and inclusion are essential to delivering the best solutions to our clients, and it is rewarding to see our firm’s efforts recognized.”