Ogletree Deakins Names Members of Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s 2021 Fellow and Pathfinder Classes

ATLANTA – March 15, 2021 – Ogletree Deakins has chosen Grace Ristuccia to be a member of the 2021 class of Fellows, participating in a landmark program created by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) to identify, train, and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession. The firm has also chosen Natalie Hernandez and Tiaundra Gordon-Foster to be members of the 2021 class of Pathfinders, participating in a program designed by the LCLD to train high-performing, early-career attorneys in critical career development strategies including leadership and the building of professional networks.

“I am proud to congratulate Grace, Natalie, and Tiaundra for their selection to these prestigious programs by the LCLD,” said Matt Keen, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins. “They join a select group of experienced attorneys from diverse backgrounds who have been recognized for their potential to become leaders in their organizations and in the wider profession.”

According to LCLD President Robert J. Grey, Jr., “The LCLD Fellows Program offers participants a year-long, in-depth program devoted to relationship-building, leadership training, and extensive contact with LCLD’s prestigious members and the best teachers in the business. The LCLD Pathfinder Program offers participants intensive training, online experiential learning, and opportunities to network with peers and esteemed LCLD Fellows and Alumni in small group gatherings. We believe both are programs that can enhance a person’s career.”

Incoming Fellows and Pathfinders will have access to several new virtual event series this year, which will provide numerous opportunities for small-group interaction and relationship building with their peers. This is in addition to the exclusive leadership and professional-development curriculum—adapted to the virtual environment—that has always been a hallmark of the LCLD Fellows and Pathfinders Programs. This year’s participants will also have access to a range of additional programming that was developed for the LCLD community in 2020.

Founded in 2009, LCLD is a growing organization of more than 350 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are personally committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive legal profession. The LCLD Fellows Program, which has trained nearly 2,000 mid-career attorneys since 2011, is one of LCLD’s most important initiatives. The LCLD Pathfinder Program has trained more than 900 early-career attorneys since 2015, catering to junior lawyers in law firms and corporate legal departments who have demonstrated potential to become future leaders in the legal profession.

For more information, visit www.lcldnet.org.

About Ogletree Deakins
Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. Premier client service, as outlined in the firm’s Client Pledge, is one of the firm’s top priorities and a cornerstone of its core values. U.S. News – Best Lawyers^® “Best Law Firms” has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for 10 consecutive years. In 2021, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Litigation – Labor & Employment category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 900 attorneys located in 53 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to Fortune 50 companies. www.ogletree.com