Locke Lord Welcomes Kimberly Hulsey as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Kimberly Hulsey has joined law firm Locke Lord as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, succeeding retired Senior Partner Paulette Brown.

Hulsey joins the firm’s Washington DC  office from Major, Lindsey & Africa, where she served as a Managing Director and member of the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Leadership Council and the In-House Recruiting Diversity Committee. A former practicing lawyer and veteran legal industry executive with a career spanning more than 25 years, she has a proven track record of helping diverse attorneys advance in the profession. Previously, she served as Vice President, Legal and Government Affairs for Scripps Networks Interactive, where she led its government and industry advocacy initiatives. She will work closely with Locke Lord’s Executive Committee and Diversity and Inclusion Committee leveraging her talent acquisition, HR management, external affairs and in-house legal experience to further the Firm’s commitment to recruit, retain, develop and promote diverse talent at all levels.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kim to Locke Lord and look forward to her leadership continuing the Firm’s integral work of fostering a diverse and inclusive culture. Her impressive background and experience holding both legal and corporate roles will bring invaluable insight to support client goals and amplify diverse perspectives,” stated Locke Lord Chair David Taylor. “After a storied career, we thank Paulette for her leadership, commitment and service and for her groundbreaking work on behalf of diversity and inclusion, which has made an important and lasting difference to our Firm and across the profession.”

ADVANCING DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Hulsey serves on the University of Pennsylvania Law School Inclusion & Equity Alumni Advisory Board, an inaugural assembly of Pennsylvania Law alumni organised to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the school. She was also selected as a Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) and was instrumental in LCLD’s Sustainable Partnership Program, where she was one of four architects to develop and execute a multifaceted, one-year external leadership programme to increase the success and retention rates for law firm partners of colour. Hulsey previously served as Co-Chair of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia’s Women of Color Task Force; focused on increasing the number of women of colour partners and corporate legal leaders in the DC metro area.

She obtained her Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University and is a thought leader in her field, regularly writing and speaking about developments surrounding diversity and inclusion. “I am excited to join Locke Lord, a firm with a long-standing commitment to building and maintaining a diverse, inclusive environment while igniting enthusiasm for positive change,” commented Hulsey. “I am intensely passionate about continuing to equip the firm with the tools necessary to advance diversity and inclusion within the Firm and throughout the legal industry.”

BOOSTING DIVERSE REPRESENTATION

Diversity and inclusion is one of Locke Lord’s five core values and an integral part of the firm’s strategic plan. Locke Lord understands that fostering an inclusive environment results in better decision-making, better outcomes for clients and a firm where team members can be successful and thrive.

The firm achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status for 2021, recognising it for hitting targets designed to boost the representation of diverse lawyers considered for a variety of roles and opportunities. Locke Lord also consistently registers a perfect score of 100 percent for policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in its Corporate Equality Index. Additionally, LCLD recognised Locke Lord with the 2021 Top Performer designation and Compass Award, underscoring the Firm’s leadership in building a diverse workplace and a more inclusive legal profession.

Check out our Movers and Shakers section, for more new appointments and diversity champions in the DE&I/sustainability/wellbeing space.