K&L Gates to Hold First Retreat for Diverse Lawyers from Across Firm's U.S. Offices

Diverse lawyers from across the U.S. offices and practices of global law firm K&L Gates LLP will gather during a multi-day, in-person retreat in early November. Open to the firm’s diverse lawyers at all levels throughout the U.S., the retreat will focus on empowering the lawyers to find success in both the internal and external markets through D&I alignment. An expected highlight of the retreat is a client perspectives panel and the active, in-person participation and collaboration of general counsel from several K&L Gates clients. Recognized as leaders in D&I efforts within both the D&I and client communities, these general counsel will include David Zapolsky from Amazon, Kimberly Chainey from AptarGroup, Jennifer Peters of Lifepoint Health, and Zabrina Jenkins of Starbucks.

Other items on the agenda for this inaugural retreat include a leadership session from a minority-owned business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations advance their diversity and inclusion efforts; a business development session from a minority-owned consulting and coaching firm that works with law firms and individual attorneys to enhance their business development skills, strategies, and execution; and discussions around topics such as firm diversity and economics and minority organization relationships and partnerships. Numerous members of the firm’s top leadership will be participating in the retreat, including the nearly two-thirds of the U.S. members of K&L Gates’ Management Committee who are diverse.

“In recent years, we have seen our communities and our clients continue to affirm the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, an area to which our firm has long been committed,” commented Pallavi Mehta Wahi, K&L Gates’ co-managing partner, United States, and chair of the firm’s global Diversity Committee. “While we have been able to assemble groups of diverse lawyers throughout the U.S. on several occasions over the years and, of course, virtually during the pandemic, this is the first time we’re able to offer as extensive of a program on an in-person, national scale alongside our clients who are D&I leaders and aligned on these values. We very much look forward to the dialogue and energy this program will bring, not just for its participants, but for our entire firm.”

K&L Gates’ Global Managing Partner Jim Segerdahl stated: “We are delighted to bring together the firm’s diverse lawyers throughout the U.S. and some of our valued clients to share their perspectives in this meaningful conversation around diversity and inclusion, and to explore together these important topics that will allow us to continue to advance as both individuals and a firm.”

The upcoming retreat follows K&L Gates’ receipt of several diversity accolades in recent weeks. These include recognition with Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certification Plus status from Diversity Lab, distinguishing firms that demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and as both a 2022 Top Performer and Compass Award winner by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) for the firm’s active participation with and support of LCLD programs during the past year.