Fox Rothschild LLP congratulates Kimberly Bullock Gatling on her selection as a Southern Trailblazer by The American Lawyer, an annual feature highlighting agents of change in the legal industry.
Serving as the firm’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Gatling works to develop programs and policies that increase and promote a diverse workforce and inclusive environment both within the firm and the greater legal community.
“To solve complex problems, I believe in the power of diversity: Diversity of viewpoints, diversity of experience and diversity of people. We are all better if we work together,” said Gatling in an interview with The American Lawyer. “But I also understand as a Black woman attorney just how hard it can be for some people – particularly people of color – to succeed. That is why I strive every day to make sure people like me can more easily follow in my footsteps.”
Under Gatling’s leadership, Fox has partnered with neighborhood organizations in cities across the country to support Black-owned businesses and assist individuals with issues related to criminal justice and housing. She initiated firm-wide recognition of Juneteenth by creating a plan to engage staff and attorneys located in offices from Greensboro to Los Angeles in community service to mark the occasion.
In 2021, Gatling launched a diversity, equity and inclusion strategy with comprehensive diversity training for top firm management and managers firmwide. To create a pipeline of diverse talent, she expanded and enhanced the firm’s Diversity Fellowship Program that provides paid summer internships in Fox’s 29 offices to law students from diverse backgrounds who have completed their first year of law school. The program also features financial incentives for participants to return following their second year and join the firm following graduation. To ensure accountability and progress, she also enrolled the firm in Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule 5.0 and Inclusion Blueprint, two programs that promote workforce inclusion by establishing benchmarks, setting targets and tracking performance.
“The theoretical endgame for me is a world where society values differences and everyone is provided a fair shot at success…for now I just strive to move the ball forward any way I can,” said Gatling.
Original source can be found here.