Phelps Partner LaToya Merritt Joins American Lawyer’s 2022 South Trailblazers
JACKSON, Miss. — Oct. 6, 2022 — Phelps Partner LaToya Merritt was selected as one of The American Lawyer’s 2022 South Trailblazers.
The yearly issue of this industry-leading publication recognizes professionals in the South who have moved the needle in the legal industry. LaToya was chosen for her work with clients on employment issues and her commitment to creating pathways to success for diverse attorneys at all levels of the legal profession.
LaToya leads the labor and employment group in Phelps’ Jackson, Mississippi, office and helps clients handle claims of discrimination, harassment and Civil Rights and constitutional rights violations. She also conducts diversity training and educational programs for companies throughout the region and has trained hundreds of executives and managers on employment law and constitutional law issues.
In addition to her practice, LaToya spearheads the firmwide Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which guides Phelps’ DEI initiatives to, as LaToya notes, “lead the way forward in our profession by pushing education, transparency and the unique benefits, especially for our clients, that diverse experiences bring to the table.”
LaToya is also deeply engaged in her community. She’s active in local and national bar associations and sits on the boards of the Grambling University Foundation and Canopy Children’s Solutions. She’s also a 2016-2017 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, a graduate of Leadership Jackson and has been recognized by Jackson Public Schools for her commitment to helping the district and its students.
LaToya and her fellow trailblazers were featured in the October issue of the publication, where LaToya shared her dedication to setting an example for young attorneys and how she leads Phelps’ efforts to attract and retain diverse talent to strengthen the firm’s ranks.
About Phelps Dunbar
Phelps is a full-service law firm of more than 350 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.
