The Metropolitan Black Bar Association 34th anniversary awards gala took place on May 18 at Pier Sixty in Manhattan.

This years’ honorees, joined by bar president Paula Edgar, second from right, included, from left, Deirdre Stanley, EVP & general counsel at Thomson Reuters, recognized at the MBBA gala as Corporate Counsel of the Year; Gabrielle Lyse Brown, executive director of diversity and inclusion at the New York City Bar Association, Presidential Award for Impact on Diversity in the Legal Profession; Public Advocate Letitia James, Public Servant of the Year Award; Fern Fisher, former deputy chief administrative judge for New York City courts and current special assistant for social justice initiatives to the dean at Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Jurist of the Year Award; Patrice Jean, partner at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Private Practitioner of the Year Award; and Anne Robinson, managing director, general counsel and corporate secretary of Vanguard, Trailblazer of the Year Award.