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Virtual Speaker Series - Inclusive Leadership 2022 and Beyond
Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Category: Virtual Speaker Series

Women Owned Law Virtual Speaker Series

This presentation and discussion will focus on the qualities of an inclusive leader and the importance of incorporating this leadership model into today’s law firm. The following topics will be addressed:

  • Why inclusive leadership matters – now more than ever
  • New leadership competencies related to diversity, equity and inclusion needed in 2022 and beyond.
  • How to identify the new competencies that leaders had to draw upon, quickly get up to speed on or perhaps invent
  • Discuss traits of inclusive leaders and describe.
  • Ways to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in law firms

Presenter

Virginia G. Essandoh
Ballard Spahr

Virginia G. Essandoh serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Ballard Spahr. She sits on the Management Committee and Expanded Board and is responsible for overseeing, implementing, and providing strategic leadership to Ballard Spahr's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Working closely with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, Virginia advises and collaborates with firm management, including Department Chairs, Office Managing Partners, and administrative professionals to implement the firm's diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic goals and inspire the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion into firm culture. This ranges from high-level development of diversity-related recruitment, development and retention, and advancement for lawyers at all levels to client collaborations that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the profession as a whole.

Virginia meets regularly with diverse attorneys to discuss development and advancement strategies and remains aware of issues that affect diverse attorneys. She also provides strategic guidance and tactical support to the firm's business resource groups, including Ballard Women, helping to develop business and encouraging the development and advancement of female lawyers. In addition, she serves as the public voice for Ballard Spahr's diversity-related outreach efforts, coordinates the firm's participation in external diversity events, and is a liaison to clients and other external constituencies regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Before joining Ballard Spahr, Virginia was senior consultant at Altman Weil, Inc. In this capacity, she assisted in developing and implementing diversity and gender initiatives and strategies in private law firms and corporate legal departments; advised on organizational and management structures for law firms and corporate legal departments; and facilitated law firm strategic planning, client satisfaction, strategic marketing, and management structure analysis for her clients

This Virtual Speaker Series is free to members of WOL and their Guests.  Non-Members who are not guests will be charged a $20 registration fee.

Please RSVP by February 22, 2022.

RSVP NOW