Page 1 - Sheppard Mullin Alumni News Newsletter_Winter 2021

WINTER 2021
IN THIS ISSUE
Message From The Chair........................1
Client Service Tips from Women Alumni In-House Counsel......................2
Virtual Black Alumni Event....................4 Helping Clients Succeed.........................5
Alumni Moves and
Notable News...........................................6
Our Litigation Practice Tops BTI Litigation Outlook 2022.........................6
On Demand Learning:
Last Chance CLE.......................................6
Upcoming Events......................................7
STATS AND FACTS
1,055
Lawyers Globally
15 10Practice Groups
22 Industry Teams 37Blogs 2Podcasts
1,835
Offices in 5 Countries
Alumni in our network
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Happy New Year! One of my priorities as Chair of Sheppard Mullin is continuing to foster diversity and inclusion, enhancing our existing program and identifying new ways in which we can be a leader and effectuate change.
Toward that end, we recently announced that Lois Durant was named our first Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Lois (pronounced “Loy”) served as Sheppard Mullin’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and Talent Management Strategy for the last four years, where she was responsible for managing the firm’s internal and external D&I efforts as well as the development and implementation of various talent management initiatives.
As Director of D&I and Talent Management Strategy, Lois was instrumental in instituting new and progressive professional development, talent retention and D&I programs, including establishing D&I Office Working Groups, expanding the firm’s affinity group program, creating comprehensive training academies for junior and mid-level associates, leading the associate mentoring program, and creating enhanced evaluation processes.
In this new role, she will continue to work alongside firm leadership and the Chair of Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Rena Andoh, to support the retention and promotion of diverse talent throughout the firm.
Under Lois’ leadership, Sheppard Mullin earned numerous awards for its D&I initiatives, including Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s prestigious Thomas Sager Award. We were also one of only 20 top-scoring law firms recognized as “Inclusion Blueprint Champions” in the 2021 Inclusion Blueprint, a joint project between Diversity Lab and ChIPs. Founded in 2005 by seven women chiefs of intellectual property in Silicon Valley, ChIPs is a nonprofit organization that advances and connects women in technology, law and policy.
As we look ahead to 2022, diversity and inclusion will continue to be a strategic priority for Sheppard Mullin and we look forward to Lois’ contributions to advance our efforts.
Luca Salvi
Chair lsalvi@sheppardmullin.com
Lois Durant
Chief Diversity
& Inclusion Officer ldurant@sheppardmullin.com
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