Following the launch of its “Office of DEI” (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), Squire Patton Boggs is delighted to announce that Kathy Bowman-Williams has joined the firm as its Global Director of DEI.
Ms. Bowman-Williams will report to and work closely with Global Managing Partner Fred Nance in his capacity as the firm’s Global DEI Counsel on advancing the firm’s development, implementation, and monitoring of effective strategies that support the retention and advancement of underrepresented groups throughout the firm globally.
“We launched our Office of DEI in order take our established diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to new heights by putting them front and center in our senior leadership discussions,” Mr. Nance commented. “Kathy brings a wealth of experience to this newly created role and will be instrumental in the evolution of our DEI efforts, which will include developing metrics and evaluation processes to assess the effectiveness of our initiatives.”
Global Board member Alethia Nancoo continued, “Nearly 40% of our firm’s current leadership are diverse. This is a competitive advantage and one of our primary aims is to fill in the pipeline behind us by attracting, retaining and promoting new talent.”
Ms. Bowman-Williams brings two decades of experience leading global diversity and inclusion initiatives and leadership development programs for international organizations. She joins Squire Patton Boggs from Baker Botts LLP, where she was the firm’s Director and Head of Diversity and Inclusion. Ms. Bowman-Williams previously served as Vice President and Regional Diversity Officer at Morgan Stanley, where she developed and oversaw the implementation of the financial company’s diversity initiatives. She also held a range of senior positions at Verizon that involved driving initiatives to support diversity, community investment, green programs and recruitment.
Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Bowman-Williams said, “Squire has an outstanding track record for implementing new and innovative approaches to advancing its diversity, equity and inclusion agenda. The genuine enthusiasm across the global firm to be a leader in the DEI space is refreshing and energizing and I am excited to play a role in taking the firm’s efforts to the next level.”