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Description: Most law firms and corporate legal departments have had diversity-related initiatives for years, but these efforts have failed to develop and retain significant numbers of diverse attorneys. The pandemic and economic downturn threaten to derail the modest successes that have been achieved, but now is the time for law firms and legal departments to double-down on diversity and inclusion. Join the conversation with in-house and outside counsel as they discuss initiatives and share the experiences that have helped diverse attorneys thrive and have made a positive impact with their firms and organizations.
Presenter Bios
Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams is a legal talent development expert with over 25 years of experience in success coaching for attorneys and developing high impact programs for law firms. Dr. Abrahams has published three books with the American Bar Association and regularly publishes articles for Thomson Reuters and American Legal Media on professional and business development. Known for engaging and educational programs, Dr. Abrahams is a sought-after keynote speaker, program facilitator and law firm advisor. She gives back to the community by conducting complimentary programs and workshops for 501(c)(3) organizations across the country.
Wesley Bizzell is the Senior Assistant General Counsel and Managing Director of Political Law & Ethics Programs at Altria. He is the current President of the National LGBT Bar Association.
Wesley Bizzell serves as Senior Assistant General Counsel and Managing Director of Political Law and Ethics Programs, External Affairs for Altria Client Services Inc. (“ALCS”). Wesley provides in-house legal counsel on matters relating to the political, legislative, and lobbying activities of Altria Group, Inc., its services companies, including ALCS, and its operating companies, including Philip Morris USA Inc., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. LLC, John Middleton Co., and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd.
In this role, Wesley is responsible for ensuring that Altria and its companies comply with all laws and regulations regarding federal, state, local, and international campaign finance, government ethics, gifts to government officials, lobbying disclosure and reporting, and charitable giving. Overseeing a comprehensive compliance system covering the regulation of government affairs, Wesley provides advice and guidance on political law compliance for more than 75 jurisdictions. Wesley also heads the legal team that supports Altria’s public policy activities, providing services related to legislative and regulatory drafting and interpretation. Wesley is a member of Altria’s Compliance Leadership Team and its Anti-Corruption Compliance Working Group.
Malachi Jones is the firm’s inaugural Chief Diversity Partner at Williams & Connolly LLP.
Malachi chairs the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and devotes all of his time as a partner to leading the firm’s efforts to further increase diversity and inclusion through recruiting, retention, and professional advancement. Malachi has spent almost his entire career actively recruiting and mentoring diverse attorneys. In his current role, he provides strategic leadership and vision to furthering the firm’s core values of diversity and inclusion. He focuses much of his effort on firm initiatives such as
outreach to diverse student groups at law schools, the firm’s diverse associate sponsorship program, junior partner client development initiatives, support of non-profit organizations that promote the advancement of diverse attorneys, the firm’s diversity speaker series, and firm hosted panel discussions focused on the advancement of women and diverse attorneys.
In addition to providing high level leadership to advance the firm’s diversity and inclusion, Malachi also works directly with diverse attorneys to ensure their individual development, advancement, and career satisfaction. At the same time, Malachi works with individual partners, associates, and firm management to help promote an inclusive environment for all. Malachi also works closely with clients and case managers to ensure that client diversity and inclusion goals are supported.
Bonnie Lau is a partner at Morrison Foerster and the Chair of Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).
Bonnie’s practice focuses on antitrust and unfair competition class action litigation in federal and state courts, as well as enforcement proceedings before agencies in the U.S. and other countries. She leverages her almost 15 years of experience in civil and criminal antitrust litigation and investigations to advise clients across a range of industries that face government scrutiny, including technology and manufacturing.
A dynamic litigator, Bonnie has significant experience defending class action and complex commercial disputes, and deftly handles international competition investigations and enforcement issues. She has defended companies in antitrust and related complex litigation involving claims of price-fixing, output suppression, monopolization, and group boycott, as well as prosecuted antitrust counterclaims in patent and IP infringement matters. Bonnie has also successfully defended class actions, multi-district litigations and enforcement actions in federal and state trial and appeals courts across the U.S.,and advised on parallel international class actions and foreign regulatory actions. intellectual property claims.
 | | Practice Areas: | | Elimination of Bias & Diversity in the Legal Profession | | | Online Media Type: | | Audio | | | Production Date: | | 12/01/2020 12:00 PM EST | | | Level: | | Intermediate | | | Category: | | Standard | | | Duration: | | 1 Hours, 0 Minutes | | | Online Format: | | Live | | | Course Type: | | Public |
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| | • | Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams - Legal Talent Advisors, LLC | | • | Wesley D. Bizzell - Altria Client Services LLC | | • | Malachi B. Jones, Jr. - Williams &Connolly LLP | | • | Bonnie Lau - Morrison & Foerster LLP |
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