Phelps Lawyers Chosen for National Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Programs
New Orleans — The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) welcomed three Phelps lawyers to its 2021 programs. Brandon Davis was named a 2021 Fellow, and Rebecca Sha and Michael B. Victorian joined the 2021 class of Pathfinders.
“Phelps is a long-time supporter of the LCLD and is proud to have our attorneys participate in its important and enlightening programs,” said Phelps partner LaToya Merritt, chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and 2016 Fellow. “The LCLD shares our deep commitment to diversity and inclusion, and these programs align with our goal to provide intentional and enriching professional opportunities for our diverse attorneys.”
Brandon is one of 418 talented and diverse lawyers across the country chosen for the 2021 Fellows Program. The program supports the legal profession’s next generation of leaders—those the LCLD says are “deeply engaged, indispensable to key clients and teams, invested in attorney mentoring and professional development, and on a trajectory toward leadership positions.” A partner in New Orleans’ Labor and Employment group, Brandon helped build the firm’s immigration team. He works with clients to resolve employment- and family-based immigration and litigation issues. He also helps employers meet their needs for highly skilled employees by leading both companies and individuals through the complex immigration system.
Rebecca and Michael join more than 400 lawyers in the Pathfinders Program who, early in their careers, have already distinguished themselves as emerging leaders. Rebecca, an associate in New Orleans’ Labor and Employment group, helps employers stay on top of changing regulations and guides them through litigation. Michael is an associate in Baton Rouge’s Labor and Employment group who counsels clients facing disputes over employment laws in both federal and state courts.
LCLD was founded in 2009. It includes more than 350 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners committed to creating a truly diverse legal profession. The LCLD Fellows Program, a year-long program devoted to relationship-building and leadership training, has trained nearly 2,000 mid-career attorneys since 2011. The LCLD Pathfinder Program has trained more than 900 early-career attorneys since 2015. It gives participants practical tools to develop and leverage internal professional networks, foundational leadership skills, and an understanding of career development strategies.
Phelps is a full-service law firm of more than 300 attorneys. We blend valuable traditions and progressive ideas to foster a culture of collaboration among our lawyers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and London. Our six core practice groups — admiralty, business, health care, insurance, labor and employment, and litigation — work together to offer clients a progressive, diverse practice and partnership that handles a broad range of sophisticated business needs regionally, nationally, and internationally.