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About NAMWOLF

Mission

Promote diversity in the legal profession by fostering successful relationships among preeminent minority and women owned law firms and private/public entities.

Vision

Achieve equity in legal opportunity through minority and women owned law firms.

Who we are

The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), founded in 2001, is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association comprised of minority and women owned law firms and other interested parties throughout the United States. Many corporations and public entities interested in diversifying their outside law firm ranks focus almost exclusively on the utilization of minority and female attorneys at majority firms. Yet the available data strongly suggests that these efforts have not resulted in greater diversity in the legal profession. It is NAMWOLF’s view that the most effective way for corporations to increase diversity in the legal profession is to increase their retention of minority and women owned law firms. NAMWOLF’s Law Firm Membership is comprised of AV-rated firms across the nation that represent major corporate clients. NAMWOLF assists its Law Firm Members in developing strategic alliances, coalitions, and affiliations with corporations, in-house counsel, and other legal trade associations. Through these efforts, NAMWOLF helps empower minority and women owned law firms.

Board of Directors

The Board was established by the founding members of NAMWOLF to make decisions regarding the policies and procedures of the organization. The Directors also assist in the recruitment of Corporate Sponsors and Corporate and Public Entity Partners, as well as Affiliate Members and Advisory Council Members.

 

Jamie Rudman

Chair

Sanchez & Amador LLP

Leslie D. Davis

CEO

NAMWOLF

Nelson Bellido

Vice Chair
Roig Lawyers

Valerie Matherne

Vice Chair
Courington, Kiefer, Sommers, Marullo & Matherne, L.L.C.

Eileen Letts

Treasurer
Zuber Lawler LLP

Kerrie Heslin

Secretary

Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C.

Amanda Alexander

Alexander Law, P.A.

Sheryl Axelrod

The Axelrod Firm, PC

Seth Bryant

Bryant Rabbino LLP

Lydia Bueschel

Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel P.C.

 

Gopal M. Burgher

BurgherGray LLP

Paul Garcia

Paul Garcia & Associates

Fred Hasani

Acceleron Law Group LLP

Lisa Jakob

Merck

Ken Johnson

Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC 

Chad Lang

SMGQ Law

Tina Loza

Loza & Loza

Theos McKinney

Constellation

Stacy Fode

General Counsel

Board Emeritus

Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C.

John M. Murdock

Chair Emeritus

Potter & Murdock, P.C.

Advisory Council

The NAMWOLF Advisory Council has been established to serve as a consultative and advisory body, providing valuable input to the Board of Directors on matters related to the mission, objectives, and goals of the association. In addition, the Advisory Council provides the means for discussing and evaluating NAMWOLF affairs and provides the opportunity for reporting on, exchanging ideas about, and evaluating the activities and programs.

Chair

Theos McKinney

Assistant General Counsel

CO-Chair

Lisa Jakob

Managing Counsel, Trademarks

vice Chair

Barry Parsons

Associate General Counsel

Junior vice Chair

Nicole Torrado

Deputy Chief Legal Counsel

I have been working with a number of NAMWOLF firms since before I knew there was a NAMWOLF. When I found out that so many of the firms that had achieved great litigation results for me were members of the same organization, it struck me that the way NAMWOLF vets its potential members must be consistent with what I like to see in a firm. Since that time, I have started working with many more NAMWOLF firms (including, in one year, having NAMWOLF firms serve as lead trial counsel in 2 of the 3 employment cases I tried that year). I have yet to be anything other than extremely pleased.

NAMWOLF Team

Led by CEO Leslie D. Davis, the NAMWOLF team manages NAMWOLF’s core operations—connecting law firm members with in-house counsel, planning and executing NAMWOLF’s signature events, coordinating the committees, developing relationships with sponsors and business partners, and so much more.

Leslie D. Davis

Chief Executive Officer

leslie_davis@namwolf.org

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Jane Kalata

Vice President – Strategy, Marketing & Events

jane_kalata@namwolf.org

Clare Grossman

Director of Development

clare_grossman@namwolf.org

Sherisse Rodriguez

Communications & Membership Coordinator

sherisse_rodriguez@namwolf.org

Andrea Torres

Executive Assistant – Special Project Manager

andrea_torres@namwolf.org

Laci Roth

Graphic Designer, Website Designer & Meeting Support Specialist

laci@rothstokes.com

Matt Stokes

Writer, Contributor, Webmaster & Meeting Support Specialist

matt@rothstokes.com

NAMWOLF Operational Committees

NAMWOLF’s seven operational committees direct NAMWOLF’s practices and include the Admissions & Law Firm Membership Committee, Nominating Committee, Finance Committee, Membership Engagement & Outreach Committee, Advocacy Committee, National Development Committee, Meetings Committee, and Communications Committee.

Operational committees

Annual Awards

Diversity Initiative Achievement Award

Outstanding Service By An Advisory Council Member

Law Firm MVP

Yolanda Coly Advocacy Award

NAMWOLF’s Annual Diversity Initiative Achievement Award recognizes the corporation/public entity that has exhibited outstanding achievement in increasing minority and women owned law firm participation.

Past winners include:

Bank of America (2020)

Honda (2019)

State Farm (2018)
FDIC (2017)
Allstate Insurance Company (2016)

Walmart (2015)
GlaxoSmithKline (2014)
Shell (2013)
KeyCorp (2012)
Nationwide (2011)
Prudential (2010)
American Airlines (2009)
KeyCorp (2008)
Accenture (2007)
DuPont (2006)

Every year, NAMWOLF’s Advisory Council selects a member of the council who has gone above and beyond to help NAMWOLF further its mission and vision.

Past winners include:

David Peim (2020)

Justi Rae Miller (2019)

Melford Walker (2018)
Rick Hammond (2017)
Shanin T. Fuller (2016)

Matthew Morningstar (2015)
Anthony E. Gay (2014)
Barbara Stevens (2013)
Rick Richardson (2012)
Gilda Spencer (2011)

This Award recognizes a law firm member for its outstanding achievement in advancing NAMWOLF’s mission of promoting diversity and inclusion by fostering the relationship between preeminent minority and women owned law firms and corporations and public entities.

Past winners include:

DTO Law (2020)

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. (2019)

Sapientia Law Group (2018)
Sanchez & Amador, LLP (2017)
Bush, Seyferth & Paige PLLC (2016)

Lim Ruger & Kim (2015)
Berens & Miller (2014)
Griesing Law (2013)
Wilson Turner Kosmo (2012)

This Award is given to an individual who has tirelessly worked toward achieving NAMWOLF’s mission through stellar advocacy.

Past winners include:

Sheryl Axelrod (2017)
Martin P. Greene (2016)
Yolanda Coly (2015)

Pipeline Diversity Scholarship

About the Scholarship

The NAMWOLF Pipeline Diversity Scholarship seeks to provide financial support to students who contribute to the diversity of their law school student body as they pursue their legal career. The NAMWOLF Pipeline Diversity Scholarship program is open to 2019–20 second- and third-year African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, LGBT and female students. Any other 2019–20 second and third-year law students who come from backgrounds that would add to the cause of diversity, regardless of race or gender, are eligible to apply. For more information about the program, please contact Renecca Allen by email at renecca_allen@namwolf.org or by phone at 312.733.7780.

2020 Winners

Nija Bastfield

UDC David A. Clarke School of Law

Charles Graham

Thurgood Marshall

Najah Williams

Southern University

Become a NAMWOLF Member

NAMWOLF law firms benefit from the many opportunities for marketing, networking, and referrals through NAMWOLF’s events, corporate initiatives, and strategic opportunities for member firms. NAMWOLF uses a detailed vetting process to determine firm admission, performing independent research on each prospective firm based on a range of criteria. Click below to apply to become a NAMWOLF member.

Become a Member   

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