Who
Ashley Bolender, Executive Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Head of Legal Strategy and Operations at Regions Bank
What
Ashley Bolender recently received national recognition for her leadership and innovation in legal operations. Bolender was named a finalist for Innovator of the Year at the LegalOps.com Running Legal Like A Business Awards, which honors leaders who are transforming legal through innovation, strategy and technology.
She and the Legal Strategy and Operations team were also named finalists in two categories at the American Lawyer Industry Awards: Best Legal Ops Team and Best Use of Technology/Best Innovation.
She and the Legal Strategy and Operations team were also named finalists in two categories at the American Lawyer Industry Awards: Best Legal Ops Team and Best Use of Technology/Best Innovation, which recognize outstanding achievements that advance excellence and innovation within the legal profession.
Why
Since joining Regions’ Legal Department in 2024, Bolender has led a strategic transformation designed to modernize operations and position the department as a more agile business partner.
Under Bolender’s leadership, the Legal Strategy and Operations team completed a comprehensive assessment of the department’s technology ecosystem and implemented an enterprise-wide platform that streamlined legal workflows, consolidated multiple technologies and improved access to legal services across the organization. The transformation brought eight separate tools and workflows into a single integrated solution, enhancing efficiency, improving transparency, simplifying user experiences and strengthening collaboration within Legal and among business groups across the bank.
The initiative also established a foundation for future innovation, including contract lifecycle management capabilities and the exploration of targeted generative AI solutions. The industry recognition reflects both the impact of the transformation and Bolender’s ability to combine strategic vision, cross-functional collaboration and disciplined execution to drive meaningful change.
In Her Own Words
“The transformation recognized by these nominations was made possible by the outstanding contributions of Preston Shoemake, Magen McClintock, Tiko Russell, Andrew Kallus, the extended Onit project team and a Legal Department that was willing to embrace change, adopt new technologies and continuously look for better ways to deliver value.
We were equally fortunate to have strong partnerships across the bank, with colleagues who supported our efforts and shared our commitment to innovation. These honors reflect the dedication, collaboration and forward-thinking culture that exists throughout Regions, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
These honors reflect the dedication, collaboration and forward-thinking culture that exists throughout Regions, and I’m proud to be part of it.
Ashley Bolender, Executive Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Head of Legal Strategy and Operations at Regions Bank