The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) comprises more than 300 corporate counsel and law firm managing partners working together to create a more open and diverse legal profession. And McGuireWoods has been a member and participant in LCLD since the organization was founded in 2009.
In keeping with the firm’s core value of promoting diversity and inclusion, McGuireWoods attorneys often take part in LCLD programs. The firm recently selected partner Mirlande Telfort as McGuireWoods’ representative member of the LCLD Fellows Program, and chose associates Gina LeBlanc and Yoojin Lee as representative members of the LCLD Pathfinder Program.
As an LCLD fellow, Telfort will join other attorneys from law firms and leading corporations in a yearlong professional development series focused on leadership.
Telfort said, “I’m looking forward to building relationships with like-minded people. Together, we can promote diversity in our profession by supporting and teaching one another and benefiting from our collective skills and strengths. I am honored to participate on behalf of the firm, and I look forward to collaborating with this dynamic group of lawyers and future leaders.”
As part of LCLD’s Pathfinder Program, LeBlanc and Lee will hone their networking, relationship-building, leadership and career strategies through in-person meetings, regional gatherings and “peer circles” designed to promote collaboration and meaningful personal connections.
LeBlanc has known about LCLD since she was a law student. “I am passionate about diversity in the legal profession. LCLD’s approach to tackling this complex topic is measured and meaningful,” she explained. “It says something that diversity is a core value at McGuireWoods. I feel privileged to be able to represent the firm, and I am excited to meet other Pathfinders.”
Lee is looking forward to the camaraderie and getting advice from industry leaders. “I’m excited about having a mentor and meeting clients at my level,” she said. “I really appreciate the firm backing me and I am honored to represent McGuireWoods as part of this outstanding LCLD group of lawyers.”
LCLD scholars will spend several weeks at McGuireWoods, participate in the 1L LCLD Scholars Summit in Atlanta, and work at the corporate legal departments of a few firm clients.
McGuireWoods partner Ava Lias-Booker, chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, stressed, “McGuireWoods is committed to attracting and retaining talent by ensuring that our women and diverse lawyers get quality work and ascend to leadership roles. The firm’s support of LCLD over the past decade is an important example of our commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion at the firm and in the legal profession.”