Diverse Partners Network Newsletter

January 11, 2013Dear All,

Set out below is our newsletter for this week. I wish to thank

each of you for your support of our Diverse Partners

Network.

Remember to submit your notices of events as early in the

week as possible. We welcome your suggestions on how we

can continue to provide a valuable service to the DPN

members.

Industry News

Avis Russell Adds Duties at Parsons

Parsons Corp. has appointed Avis Russell, currentlyVice President and Director of Contracts and Procure-ment, to also serve as Chief Compliance Officer, effec-tive immediately. The company said the three-decadegovernment and private sector veteran will be responsi-ble for developing a program aimed at helping the com-pany comply with laws, rules, regulations and its owninternal policies and procedures such as its code of con-duct. She will also be responsible with identifying andaddressing potential compliance risks as the companyevolves its business strategy and aims to expand intointernational markets. She joined the company in March2011 in her current capacity, where she manages con-tract formation, procurement activities and contract ad-ministration work.

Two Honors for Craig Thompson

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)

AAMP and AAGC Meeting with Thomson Reuters

In late December, John Daniels of Quarles & Bradyand Ben Wilson of Beveridge & Diamond met withEric Effron, editor of Reuters Legal; Alison Frankel,editor and publisher of “On the Case;” and NoeleenWalden, editor in charge of the Reuters New York

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)has named Craig Thompson, a partner at Venable, to theFaculty of the 2013 IADC Trial Academy at Stanford Uni-versity’s Law School. This Academy is one of the oldestand most respected programs for developing defense trialadvocacy skills. This seven-day intensive program blendsfaculty instruction and demonstration with individual stu-dent participation. The faculty consists of leading defensetrial lawyers selected on a national basis from differentregions of the country. Each faculty member is assignedto a group of five to seven students which allows for indi-vidualized attention and instruction. In addition to thefaculty appointment, Craig was also selected for the 2013publication of Super Lawyers. Congratulations Craig!

The SEC Benefits Through its Partnership with Diverse Partners Network

In 2011, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the SEC established its Office of Minority andWomen Inclusion (“OMWI”) to be responsible for all matters relating to diversity at theagency, including in business activities, management, and employment. Pam Gibbs,the SEC’s OMWI Director, joined the agency in January 2012.

From the start, Gibbs and other SEC senior officers and hiring managers recognized theneed to connect with minority professional organizations to widen the pool of diverseapplicants and strengthen the agency’s workforce diversity initiatives. Since March2012, Gibbs and several hiring managers, including Nancy Sanow (pictured, left) fromthe Division of Trading and Markets, have met with Ben Wilson and Diverse PartnersNetwork members to discuss ways to attract more diverse attorney applicants to theagency.

Marsha Dixon (pictured, right), who recently joined the SEC’s Division of Trading andMarkets, spoke with Gibbs after accepting her offer for employment with the SEC. “Itwas reassuring to learn about OMWI and the agency’s efforts to create a more diverseand inclusive professional environment,” said Dixon, who was introduced to Gibbs byWilson. A 2009 graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a formerassociate at Holland + Knight, Dixon works on a range of matters related to equity andoptions exchanges. She also actively participates in the agency’s pipeline developmentefforts, including the SEC’s Student Shadowing Program.

Gibbs is confident that the ongoing meetings with Diverse Partners Network will contin-ue to bring more diverse attorneys to the SEC. “Seeking diversity at all levels of ourworkforce supports the SEC’s mission to protect investors, maintain healthy markets,and promote capital formation,” said Gibbs. “I feel we all benefit from a workforce that

Four Named “Diversity Champion” by Corporate Counsel Magazine

In the January 2013 issue, James Breedlove, General Counsel of Praxair; Donald Liu,

General Counsel of Xerox; Gary Kennedy, General Counsel of American Airlines; and

Elisa Garcia, General Counsel of Office Depot are named ‘Diversity Champions’ by

Corporate Counsel magazine. Please click here for the article. Congratulations to all

on this national recognition of your hard work!

Walden, editor in charge of the Reuters New YorkLegal Team. This meeting followed the September2012 meeting of African American Managing Part-ners (AAMP) and General Counsel (AAGC) at theoffices of Grace Speights of Morgan Lewis. TheThomson Reuters meeting was made possible byAllison Guidette, Senior Vice President and Manag-ing Director, Large Firms Segment at ThomsonReuters and Thomson Reuters General CounselDeirdre Stanley. John and Ben sought to achievethree goals: (1) to develop a strategic partnershipwith Thomas Reuters editorial team; (2) to establishmembers of the AAMP and AAGC networks as re-sources for stories including – but not limited to –diversity and inclusion; and (3) to develop an under-standing of the terrain of topics for news coveragethat would create opportunities for insight by mem-bers of the AAMP and AAGC Networks. We lookforward to developing our partnership in 2013!

Tiffany Releford Elected Partner at Whiteford Taylor & Preston

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is delighted to announcethat Tiffany M. Releford has been named a Partner ofthe firm. In her labor practice, she represents largeand small businesses, nonprofit associations, employ-ers, community associations and individuals in mattersinvolving discrimination based on disability, gender,sexual orientation, race, religion, and age. She hasappeared before state courts, the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission, Maryland Commission onCivil Rights, the D.C. Office of Human Rights, and thePrince George’s County Human Relations Commis-sion. Tiffany has a background in human resourcesand provides general counseling to employers regard-ing separation and hiring issues, and disability anddiscrimination issues, including providing training onequal employment opportunity laws. In addition to herlabor practice, she routinely counsels community asso-ciations in covenant enforcement, revising and amend-ing governing documents, transition from developer toowner control, warranty claims, and collection of delin-quent assessments. Tiffany also defends communityassociations in fair housing complaints, breach of con-tract claims, environmental claims, personal injury andtort actions in state courts and before administrativebodies. Congratulations Tiffany!

Employment Opportunities

E*Trade, SVP, Chief Compliance Officer, New York, NY

The Chief Compliance Officer reports into the EVP & General Counsel with responsibilityfor managing the enterprise-wide compliance program including Bank and BrokerageCompliance. The successful candidate will emphasize team management, enhance andcommunicate the state of compliance to the Risk Oversight Committee of the E*TRADEBoard of Directors, the Company’s Risk Department and the Company’s primary bankingand securities regulators (e.g., OCC, Fed, CFPB, FINRA, SEC). For more details and toapply online click here.

LegalWatch Recruiting for Two DC-based Positions

LegalWatch is currently recruiting for two positions, one in Health Law and the other in

Government Contracts, with an award-winning, midsize DC law firm. The firm is looking

for attorneys experienced attorneys with a solid client based an sustainable annual

billings and collections. For additional information, and to apply, click here.

Securities Paralegal, Cohen Milstein

Washington, D.C. law firm specializing in class action litigation on behalf of plaintiffs seeksan entry-level paralegal to work with the Securities Practice Group on a full-time basis.This position requires attention to detail, strong oral and written communication skills, will-ingness to work overtime hours, strong analytical and interpersonal skills, a team-playerattitude and the ability to work independently and handle multiple priorities. A four-yeardegree with strong academic credentials is required. Experience with internet research,LEXIS/NEXIS, Westlaw, Microsoft Access, and Excel are pluses. We offer a competitivesalary, excellent benefits, and a wonderful work environment. Candidate must be availa-ble to start very soon. Preference will be given to candidates who will make a two-yearminimum commitment to the position. Candidates should note any foreign language skillsin their cover letter and resume. Cohen Milstein is an equal opportunity employer commit-ted to promoting a diverse workplace. We strongly encourage women and minority candi-dates to apply. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume via email to ShehaniGoonewardena, HR Assistant Please indicate "Securities Paralegal" in the subject line.

Chief Legal Officer, Ferguson Enterprises, Newport News, VA

Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. (“Ferguson”) is a diverse wholesale distributor of plumbing

and heating equipment with operations spanning multiple business groups. Korn/Ferry

International is currently recruiting for its Chief Legal Officer. The Chief Legal Officer will

act as senior legal advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, senior management, and busi-

ness leaders across all regions of Ferguson. He/she will manage a team of approximate-

ly 20 lawyers, paralegals and support staff, and will have responsibility for the manage-

ment and oversight of all legal issues, including mergers and acquisitions, and the provi-

sion of legal services, counsel and advice to all members of senior management of the

organization in their various roles. For additional information, please contact Elizabeth

Zessman at Korn/Ferry International.

Human Capital Manager, Legal Services Corporation

The Manager of Human Capital is responsible for developing and executing LSC’s re-

Attorney, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the General

Counsel, Public Health Division, National Institutes of Health Branch in Bethesda,

Maryland, is seeking a highly qualified attorney with two or more years’ legal experi-

ence to join our staff in providing in-house counsel to the National Institutes of Health.

The NIH Branch attorneys provide comprehensive legal advice and services to NIH

on a wide array of highly visible, complex, and often precedential public health mat-

ters. This position, which offers a broad range of experience, significant responsibility

and intellectually engaging work, requires creative legal thinking and strong commu-

nication skills. This attorney will have direct client contact, interact with colleagues

throughout the Office of the General Counsel and officials at other government agen-

cies, and negotiate and work cooperatively with outside counsel. For additional infor-

mation, and to apply, click here.

Attorney Advisor, Patent and Trademark Office, Alexandria, VA

As a Attorney Advisor, you will be responsible for the complete ex parte examination of

applications for the registration of trademarks to ensure compliance with the Trademark

Act of 1946 and related statutes. Issues that may arise during the examination include:

likelihood of confusion, ownership, use of the mark in commerce, descriptive or generic

uses of the mark, acquired distinctiveness, functionality and/or ornamentation. For addi-

tional information, and to apply, click here.

Special Assistant to the Director, Legal Services Corporation (two positions)

Established by Congress in 1974, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the country’s

single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. LSC currently funds

134 independent, non-profit legal aid organizations with over 800 offices throughout the

nation. LSC’s mission is to promote equal access to justice and provide grants for high-

quality civil legal assistance. LSC seeks a Special Assistant to the Director in its Office

of Compliance and Enforcement and a Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of

Program Performance. Links to the positions descriptions can be found here.

Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation

Under the general supervision of the Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Coun-

sel, the Assistant General Counsel is responsible for advising LSC on relevant legal mat-

ters; interpreting and drafting opinions on the LSC Act and corresponding rules and regu-

lations; assisting the General Counsel in managing and resolving litigation and other dis-

putes; assisting the General Counsel with LSC’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and

Corporate Secretary obligations; negotiating, drafting, and reviewing LSC’s contracts with

third-parties; and providing counsel on best practices that affect workplace and policy

initiatives. This is a temporary position, with the appointment to last no longer than six

months. For additional information, and to apply, please click here.

cruiting and staffing strategies and consulting with managers on the recruiting process;

directing training and development efforts to maximize the potential of LSC’s staff; and

managing the implementation of the annual performance assessment system, including,

along with the OHR Director, serving as an internal counselor to employees and manag-

ers on issues that affect performance. Additional information on the position as well as

application instructions can be found here.

Asst. Attorney General, Dept. of Information Technology, State of Maryland

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking applicants for an Assistant Attorney Gen-

Announcements

For additional opportunities, please check the Metropolitan Corporate Counsel’s Hot

Jobs List

For more information about the Diverse Partners Network, please contact

Benjamin F. Wilson at bwilson@bdlaw.com.

2013 Future Latino Leaders Law Camp Applications Now Available

The Hispanic National Bar Foundation's (HNBF) popular program for high school stu-dents, the Future Latino Leaders Law Camp, announces the opening of the 2013 applica-tion process beginning December 1, 2012. Please encourage high school students inter-ested in law and/or legal careers to apply. The Law Camp will be held from July 13through July 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. This program is offered free of charge for upto 30 Hispanic high school students (students currently in grades 9-12) from across thenation through the generous support of our donors and corporate sponsors. Law Campstudents will have the opportunity to enjoy the culture and history of our nation's capitalwhile being immersed in a legal profession preparation curriculum with prominent His-panic leaders as mentors. Application deadline is March 1, 2013. Please click here foradditional information on the camp.

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking applicants for an Assistant Attorney Gen-eral to represent the Department of Information Technology. Responsibilities for this posi-tion include supporting DoIT’s procurement activities, including DoIT’s telecommunica-tions unit, and DoIT’s oversight of IT procurements by other State agencies. Also respon-sible for procurement-related work, including review of requests for proposals, advice toDoIT’s procurement and telecommunications units, handling any protests that arise as aresult of the procurement, advice during the term of State IT procurement contracts, andlegal matters that arise in DoIT. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five yearslegal experience, familiarity with federal telecommunications law and related technologyissues as well as State procurement law, and Maryland Bar membership. Submit re-sumes to Douglas Carrey-Beaver, Counsel, Office of the Attorney General – Departmentof Information Technology, 301 West Preston Street, Room 1304, Baltimore, MD 21201by the close of business on Wednesday, January 23, 2013