Throughout my career, I have always striven to create opportunities to improve the representation of diverse individuals in the legal profession. Recently I was asked to take on the role of global managing partner at Dechert LLP, a 1,000-lawyer firm with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. As part of the firm’s leadership team, I am responsible for setting strategic priorities, driving client service and innovation — and helping move the needle on diversity and inclusion. Dechert has long been committed to promoting diversity of thought in all aspects of its work, but I hope to take that commitment further.
Taking the helm as global managing partner is both a great honor and a great responsibility. I am all too conscious of what it means to many people – within my firm and beyond, in the broader legal world – to see someone like me as part of a senior leadership group. In any major enterprise, having individuals from underrepresented groups in influential leadership roles is foundational in efforts to build a sense of belonging among employees and bring about systematic change.
This is a lesson I learned personally at the earliest age. My father understood the importance of pushing for diversity in the legal industry. He was the first African American attorney to make partner at a major Washington, D.C. firm, an achievement that made a huge impression on me then—and still does to this day. I attended one of his trials when I was very young and – as soon as he began his opening statement – I knew I would follow his footsteps and become a trial lawyer in his image. And as my father’s career developed, I became ever more convinced that the decision was the right one to make.
I am fortunate to have held a number of leadership roles in my career, both in government and in private legal practice. Just two years out of Syracuse University College of Law, I was hired by then U.S. Attorney Eric Holder as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. After a brief spell in private practice, I returned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office during the Obama administration, rising to become Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, a role that put me in charge of more than 350 prosecutors. Throughout that period, I oversaw some of the nation’s most significant prosecutions involving national security, financial fraud, public corruption, and cyber- crime. I also led an internal taskforce committed to prosecuting federal public corruption and worked in partnership with federal and local law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia, tackling its root causes while also preserving resources for prosecuting serious offenders. Additionally, I was able to work on policy issues as a member of Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s Advisory Committee, which comprised a small group of U.S. Attorneys who advised the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues.
I have put that experience to use at Dechert by advising individuals and corporations on tactics and strategy when they face litigation challenges or government investigations. I defended former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and former FBI director James Comey; represented the National Football League Players Association; and advised global industry leaders and household names in the technology, finance, and defense sectors. I successfully advised a prominent U.S. defense contractor in responding to multiple investigations, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and False Claims Act matters arising from contract procurement practices carried out in a former war zone. I have also served as lead counsel in court representing Microsoft as a third party in the largest antitrust litigation in history, filed by the U.S. Government against Google.
Of course, I was fortunate enough to gather experience through several other leadership positions at Dechert. Since 2020, I helped steer the management of the fi rm’s worldwide network of offices as one of the 14 elected partners on its global Policy Committee. I also serve as regional chair of the U.S. white collar practice at Dechert.
For many years after joining Dechert, I led the Black Lawyers Alliance, an affinity group, a responsibility that was close to my heart. Diversity, equity and inclusion is taken very seriously at Dechert, and I had the opportunity to build on the advances already made by the group to further develop the culture of support and interconnectivity within the fi rm. The group works to support the development and retention of Black lawyers and engages with under-represented communities through advocacy and pro bono.
The Black Lawyers Alliance was launched and led by Philadelphia-based litigator Vernon Francis, whose strength and insight have long been a source of inspiration for me. Back in the early 1990s, Vernon formed a belief that law fi rms like Dechert had a responsibility not just to observe but to lead efforts to create a more diverse legal profession. Vernon provided the drive that led to the formation of a Diversity Committee at Dechert that set out to create and maintain an inclusive work environment in which different backgrounds would be cultivated and valued.
When I consider the wisdom and strength of people like Vernon, who continues to this day to pass his learning on to others – people like my father, former U.S. Attorney Ron Machen, or Judge Cheryl M. Long – two other individuals who have had a strong formative influence on me – I understand all too well that I stand on the shoulders of giants.
It was in part through the inspiration they afforded me that I, too, was able to transmit what I had learned to others. During the Covid-19 pandemic and the tumultuous period after the tragic and unconscionable murder of George Floyd, I was at the helm of Dechert’s Black Lawyers Alliance. Throughout that time, it was paramount to meet our members’ emotional and social needs: we had to deal with a huge, yet invisible emotional weight carried by our Black employees. Amid a busy schedule of happenings, a fi reside chat with Exonerated Five member Kevin Richardson stood out as particularly memorable. Shortly after, Dechert moved quickly to develop a robust response in the aftermath of Floyd’s killing. I helped drive our Building Understanding initiative, which aimed to deepen the fi rm’s understanding of racism, anti-racist practices, and ally-ship. I also launched some virtual forums for Black associates and other Dechert personnel, providing an immediate outlet for people to share their feelings and create a safe space to support one another. In those difficult years, I felt a duty as a minority partner to be a leader within the fi rm and that my involvement in community activities, outside of the firm, for young people helped many to surmount the challenges they faced.
I was fortunate to find my most influential mentor in my own home. Having had a strong role model who provided me with powerful formative experiences, I feel great passion for the benefits of providing a role model for others. There are too many young men and women out there – young Black men in particular – who do not benefit from a father or other positive figure in their lives. Spurred by that realization, I became active (as the immediate past general counsel) with 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Greater Washington, an organization that strives to improve the quality of life of minority youth in the D.C. area through programs focusing on health and wellness, economic empowerment, education, and mentoring.
Within the legal profession, I also seek to use my influence to reshape the status quo and create opportunities for diverse attorneys. In 2021, I was appointed by the D.C. Bar Board of Governors to the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Commission (JNC) for a six-year term. The role comes with a significant responsibility. The JNC’s principal mission is to screen, select, and recommend to the President of the United States candidates for appointment to the D.C. Superior Court and Court of Appeals. The JNC also appoints the chief judges of each of these courts. In addition, I sit on the Board of Trustees of Syracuse University, the Board of Advisors to the Syracuse Law School and Board of Trustees of the Sidwell Friends School, a PK through12th grade school located in Washington, D.C. I have been a keynote speaker and panelist on current events and legal issues throughout the country; and regularly address professors, deans, students and alumni at Harvard University Law School and Syracuse University, my alma mater.
Taking on the role of global managing partner at Dechert has empowered me to push diversity even further. Diversity of thought is crucial in the legal profession, which thrives on the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and experiences. This exchange is enriched by voices from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences. Not only do our clients demand it, but the attorneys we recruit to Dechert expect it. Many say that diversity is a major factor in their decision-making when choosing which fi rm to join. Achieving diversity of thought requires more than just hiring diverse talent. It necessitates an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas. It requires leaders – in private practice firms and among in-house counsel – to value diverse opinions and remain committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and respect. I am hopeful that my strong commitment to fostering diversity, coupled with my professional and leadership experience, help sustain an environment at Dechert and throughout the legal community at large, where everyone feels valued and heard for generations to come.
