Two Akerman partners have been recognized by the 2026 Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards, presented by Law.com’s Corporate Counsel. Real Estate Partner Elissa Weiss has been named a winner in the “Next Generation of Leaders” category, and Tampa Office Managing Partner Irene Bassel Frick has been named a finalist for “Managing Partner of the Year.”
The Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards honor top women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession, recognizing trailblazers, advocates, and leaders who have demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and commitment to advancing equality in law. The Next Generation of Leaders category honors rising women leaders who are shaping the future of the legal profession, while the Managing Partner of the Year category recognizes law firm managing partners who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and a commitment to advancing women in the profession.
Elissa concentrates her practice on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including industrial, office, and retail leasing and development, as well as the acquisition and disposition of office buildings, shopping centers, industrial parks, multifamily, and fractured condominiums. Based in Fort Lauderdale, she represents clients in transactions involving various property types across multiple states, including Florida, North Carolina, Texas, New York, and Georgia. She is an active member of ICSC and Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Miami. Elissa has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Florida for Real Estate Law from 2021 to 2026.
As Managing Partner of the Tampa office, Irene serves as a leader and trial lawyer with experience in state and federal court, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. Her litigation practice encompasses contractual disputes, class action defense, fiduciary duty claims, ERISA claims, business torts, and non-compete litigation. She is a past president of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers and currently serves as an officer for the Hillsborough County Bar Foundation. She is a founding member of the Pearl Society, which provides civil legal assistance to low-income and disadvantaged clients in the Tampa Bay area, and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Irene has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Florida for Commercial Litigation (2016–2026) and by Super Lawyers for Business Litigation (2014–2025). In 2024, she received the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Michael A. Fogarty Memorial “In the Trenches” Award for Civil Trial Practice.
The Managing Partner of the Year winner will be announced at the Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards dinner on April 14 in Chicago.