Continuing the firm’s commitment to attorney development, 15 associates attended McGuireWoods’ 2024 Diverse Associates Leadership Program (DALP), held July 22-23, 2024, at the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. DALP equips top-performing associates of color and LGBTQ+ associates with the tools and leadership skills deemed essential to practice development and advancement into the partnership ranks of the firm.
The DALP participants included Roslyn A. Akel, Camille Bachrach, Christina T. Bassick, Ayana D. Brown, David N. Ezra, Taline R. Gettas, Aria Hangval, Alexander G. Keith, Kristin Lee, Armina A. Manning, William C. M. Matthews, Tolulope H. Olaniyan, Ami P. Patel, Noriya Shahadat and Daniel Withers.
The two-day program opened with welcoming remarks from partner Kenneth Neighbors, chair of McGuireWoods’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and Rosanna Koppelmann, director of diversity and inclusion. The program was facilitated by consultant Werten Bellamy, who specializes in talent development for top-performing attorneys at some of the nation’s leading law firms and in-house corporate teams. His presentation, “The Coachable Associate/The Perfect Protégé,” focused on essential tools for success, elevating levels of emotional intelligence and the importance of building deep internal relationships.
Participants broke for lunch and an opportunity to get to know partners and firm leaders in attendance. Afterward, partners shared insights gathered along their career journeys and answered DALP participants’ questions. Neighbors moderated the panel comprising London partner and LGBTQ+ Lawyers Network chair William Boddy, Charlotte partner and African American Lawyers Network chair Sabrina Conyers, Los Angeles partner and Hispanic/Latinx Lawyers Network chair Gregory Hinojosa Evans, Houston partner Demetra Liggins, and D.C. partner and Veteran Lawyers Network chair Michael Podberesky.
Firm Chairman Jon Harmon addressed the participants between the two afternoon programs, “Building Deep Internal Relationships” and “Elevating Levels of Emotional Intelligence: Making Informed Decisions.”
Second-day programming opened with remarks from Managing Partner J. Tracy Walker IV, who led an interactive presentation on the principles of leadership.