In 1973, Congress designated Aug. 26 as Women’s Equality Day to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. The observance also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.
Regions is proud to commemorate Women’s Equality Day and to celebrate and support women throughout our organization – all year long.
Recently, a group of women in the Legal department gathered to discuss the significant contributions made by female leaders that have helped that team deliver on their mission while doing their part to ensure that Regions executes its strategy of soundness, profitability and growth.
Here, the leaders talk about Legal department’s overall success and some specific wins from women on the team.
“The Legal team has made it our mission to fully understand the current businesses and key performance indicators, change management strategies, and emerging risks that influence the businesses’ strategies and decisions. We are laser focused on understanding the continuous improvement of Regions’ customer experience, driving efficiencies, and building and maintaining relationships that help Regions maintain its competitive edge. The women in our department have made significant contributions to enable those priorities and I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”
“Our function continues to evolve as our team embraces Tara’s unprecedented thought leadership, unmatched curiosity, and contagious passion for inspiring and empowering associates to reach their fullest potential. We’re transforming with increasing appreciation and respect for diversity of thought, a no-fear attitude, and the conviction that there is no single path or approach to leadership or success. The team is now empowered to not only enable Regions’ strategic plan but serve as a driving force in many aspects of the execution of that plan. For Legal, it’s no longer about being managed – it’s about being led, coached, mentored and developed while continuously learning.”
“Tara has laid the foundation for a positive team culture and enhanced marketplace engagement, establishing a Culture & Equity team pursuing Mansfield certification, and launching a program to increase DEI efforts in the local legal community. She also keyed in on the strengths of individual team members so the right people could be recognized and given high visibility leadership opportunities.”
“In the last few years, the Legal team has undergone a reorganization to provide enhanced support for the business and support groups – and ensure they meet their goals and priorities. The Consumer Bank, Corporate Bank and Wealth Management business units are each supported by a dedicated legal team, which provide proactive and strategic legal advice on business products, services, and initiatives through ongoing collaboration and communication. Their work is complemented by enterprise-focused teams, both lawyers and non-lawyers, in areas such as intellectual property; corporate transactions; problem asset management and collections; treasury management; trusts; M&A; technology and operations; employment and litigation; and regulatory compliance. This structure allows our team to apply our specific talents and strengths to ensure better outcomes for Legal and the company.”
“I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team and how we’ve contributed to Regions’ success. Since 2022, Legal played instrumental roles in M&A and commercial transactions across the portfolio as well as the creation of new products and benefits for customers. For example, we’ve contributed to earnings growth and revenue diversification by providing deal diligence, integration, business, and enterprise counsel expertise with recent acquisitions EnerBank, Sabal Capital Partners and Clearsight Advisors. This support, which could not have happened without members of all our Legal teams and especially our deal and business counsel Will Phillips, Judd Anderton, Jason Maxwell, and Jennifer Boone, has significantly impacted the success of all three integrations and protected deal value.”
“Legal has also continued to evolve how we support risk mitigation, refining how we contribute to governance, driving proactive discussions on emerging risks and integrating with critical compliance and audit functions. In supporting Regions’ core system modernization and transformation initiative, we’ve worked to ensure legal oversight for all aspects of the project. Our team played a critical role throughout 2022 in Regions’ LIBOR transition strategy and our Insurance Risk team was fundamental in resolving claims and obtaining enhanced coverages at reduced cost. Finally, our female-led Government Affairs team ensured that leaders were briefed on potential legislative and regulatory changes that could affect how we serve our customers and communities so that we remain prepared for the opportunities and risks those changes may present.”
“With Tara’s leadership, two evolutionary changes have occurred in recent years: escalating empowerment and development at all levels by pushing leaders into strategic roles for our most critical business initiatives; and encouraging those leaders to take those roles even if they were outside their core responsibilities. For example, I was given the amazing opportunity to step outside my day-to-day responsibilities in Procurement Legal to represent legal for the company’s core system modernization and transformation initiative. I have had a tremendous experience as a result. And this year, my goals look different. I am even more committed to supporting the development of others and am seeking ways to ‘pass it on’ through my own leadership: the chance to make a difference, take a lead, be heard, and most importantly be supported throughout by a team.”
“The 2022 implementation of Regions’ Legal Services Program (LSP), which provides oversight in managing outside legal expense, demonstrates the significant impact seen when leaders commit to a culture of inclusivity, development, and empowerment. I was given the opportunity to lead a nine-person team for 18 months to analyze the use of outside counsel, internal needs and opportunities to streamline and improve. Thousands of documents were reviewed to determine how to best drive Regions’ use of the right firm for the right work at the right cost. An initial field of 236 engaged firms was reduced to 67. By zeroing in on the exact firms and work needed, identifying appropriate costs, and successfully negotiating new terms, Legal helped Regions achieve millions in cost savings in the first six months alone.”
Celebrate Women’s Equality Day by sharing a special ecard with a colleague, friend or family member.