The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) has selected two Barnes & Thornburg attorneys to participate in two of its national programs. Minneapolis partner Lee Hutton has been named an LCLD Fellow, while Indianapolis associate Alicia Raines Barrs has been selected for the Pathfinders program.
LCLD is a national program that identifies and trains the next generation of diverse leaders. The Fellows program offers participants a year-long opportunity to build relationships, peer-group projects and in-person training. The Pathfinders program gives early-career professionals the opportunity to learn about leadership and how to build professional networks.
“We are excited for Lee and Alicia and what their participation in these programs will mean for their professional growth and relative to the betterment of our firm,” said Dawn R. Rosemond, Barnes & Thornburg partner and director of diversity, professional development and inclusion. “Lasting change on the diversity and inclusion front results from the deliberate investment in diverse talent. We at Barnes & Thornburg are committed in this regard and so are honored to partner with LCLD in this important work.”
As a member of the Litigation Department and the Entertainment, Media and Sports Practice Group, Hutton concentrates his practice on complex commercial trial litigation, products liability, construction, employment and entertainment law.
“I am extremely grateful to the firm for nominating me to take part in this worthwhile program,” Hutton said. “I appreciate the opportunity to further my development as a lawyer and to share what I learn with my colleagues.”
Barrs is also a member of Barnes & Thornburg’s Litigation Department. She concentrates her practice on antitrust litigation and counseling, compliance, eminent domain litigation, white collar crime defense, and internal investigations.
“I appreciate Barnes & Thornburg’s continued investment in my professional growth and development,” Barrs said. “The LCLD Pathfinders program is a relatively new, but unique opportunity to build a national network while developing critical leadership skills. I look forward to learning more about this organization.”
The LCLD Pathfinder Program is now in its third year as a full-scale program, having been piloted in 2015 among a select number of LCLD Member law firms and corporations. It is an initiative that has filled a gap in LCLD programming, targeting junior associates and the youngest members of corporate law departments.
The LCLD Fellows program, which has trained more than a thousand mid-career attorneys since 2011, is one of LCLD’s most important initiatives. The program aims to increase diversity at the leadership levels of the nation’s law firms and corporate legal departments. Participants are challenged to improve their professional brand, build relationships that enhance professional development, participate in corporate learning experiences, and sharpen stewardship and leadership skills.
With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from 14 offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Delaware, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, San Diego and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.
