DLA Piper names lawyers to Leadership Council on Legal Diversitys 2024 Pathfinders Program

DLA Piper LLP (US) is pleased to announce that the firm has selected associates Kelsey Tavares, Rio Gonzalez, Hawwi Edao and Bunnie Poullard to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) 2024 Pathfinders Program.

Kelsey Tavares is a litigation associate who has significant experience with dispositive motion practice, fact and expert witness development, bellwether analysis and selection, coordination of discovery requests and responses, depositions and trial preparation.

“I look forward to developing relationships with diverse attorneys across various sectors and build my skillset as an attorney and communicator. I am excited to learn new things and establish a foundation that I can build off of for years to come,” said Tavares.

Rio Gonzalez focuses his practice on counseling multinational employers on the full spectrum of issues related to managing a global workforce.

“I look forward to participating in leadership and professional development programming that will be valuable to my continued growth and beneficial for my future success,” said Gonzalez.

Hawwi Edao is a commercial real estate attorney who focuses her practice on land use and zoning matters involving all aspects of the development approval process, including rezoning applications and special exceptions.

“It is such an honor to be included in the LCLD program, and I am proud to be a part of a firm like DLA Piper that prioritizes promoting diversity while also ensuring the skill development of their attorneys,” said Edao.

Bunnie Poullard represents clients in a wide variety of corporate and transactional matters, with a primary focus on mergers and acquisitions, advising clients throughout the acquisition and sale process and assisting private equity funds in the acquisition and disposition of assets or equity positions in portfolio companies.

“I look forward to representing DLA Piper and am excited to be included in LCLD’s transformational programming on leadership within the legal profession,” said Poullard.

“We are excited that this year’s group of pathfinders will have the chance to leverage their leadership potential and engage in meaningful personal and professional development. Kelsey, Rio, Hawwi and Bunnie will benefit greatly from the special opportunity that LCLD provides, and DLA Piper is always proud to be associated with an organization that is passionate about diversity, inclusion and advancement in the legal profession,” said Jackie Park, DLA Piper’s co-US managing partner.

Founded in 2009, LCLD is a growing organization of more than 400 members, who serve as either general counsel of major corporations or managing partners of the nation's leading law firms and are committed to providing networking and leadership training to lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds, with the goal of creating a more inclusive legal profession. To date, more than 10,000 lawyers and law students have been exposed to LCLD programming.