Porter Hedges Creates New Diversity and Inclusion Manager Role

Firm News
06.02.2020

Porter Hedges is pleased to announce the appointment of Ashley H. Black as the firm’s first Diversity and Inclusion Manager. Ashley will work closely with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Women’s Initiative, Attorney Recruiting, Human Resources, and Business Development departments to recruit, support, and retain professionals from diverse backgrounds and continue to build a culture of inclusion for the firm.

“Creating a dedicated position to focus on the development and implementation of diversity programs across the firm reinforces our commitment to this effort. Promoting diversity and inclusion at every level remains a high priority for our firm,” said Managing Partner Rob Reedy.

In recent years through the efforts of its Women’s Initiative, Porter Hedges has taken steps to implement new parental leave policies and develop women mentoring and business development coaching programs. The firm is also a member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) and is an active participant in both the LCLD Fellows Program and LCLD 1L Scholars Program. Three current summer associates are participating in the scholars program.

The firm also continues to recruit diverse talent, with a 2020 summer associate class comprised of 50% women and 40% diverse law students. Additionally, it has participated in the Houston Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion 1L Scholar Program for several years, most recently hiring its third full time associate who came directly from this program.

Ashley is an experienced law firm professional who is an active member of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA). She currently serves on the LMA Southwest Region Board of Directors and is a member of the LMA Diversity & Inclusion Shared Interest Group.

“Having Ashley in this important role will ensure that diversity and inclusion efforts are coordinated across all areas of the firm and remain core values of our firm’s culture,” said Joyce Soliman, Diversity Committee Chair.

For more information about Porter Hedges diversity initiatives, visit: https://www.porterhedges.com/about-diversity.