DLA Piper names lawyers to Leadership Council on Legal Diversity 2022 Fellows and Pathfinders programs

DLA Piper is pleased to announce that the firm has selected partner Rishi Sodhi to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) 2022 Fellows Program and has selected associates Ashley Bailey-Chang and Jae Kim to participate in the LCLD 2022 Pathfinders Program.

The Fellows Program aims to identify, train and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession, offering a year-long, in-depth program devoted to relationship-building, in-person training and peer-group projects.

A Los Angeles-based member of the firm’s Tax practice, Sodhi advises clients on the tax aspects of a wide range of business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations and strategic investments.

“I hope to build strong enduring relationships and to work together with other members to further diversity initiatives in the legal profession,” Sodhi said.

The Pathfinders Program is designed to train high-performing, early-career attorneys in critical career development strategies, including leadership and the building of professional networks.

Bailey-Chang assists clients with domestic and international transactions including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, and other strategic business arrangements. She also advises clients on general corporate matters, including corporate governance.

“I am thrilled to be selected by DLA Piper for participation in the 2022 LCLD Pathfinders Program. I look forward to engaging with my cohort and participating in leadership and professional development programming that will be valuable to my continued growth,” Bailey-Chang said.

In her practice, Kim advises clients in the life sciences, food and beverage, hemp and CBD, and consumer products industries, providing regulatory compliance and risk management advice.

“I am truly honored to be selected as an LCLD Pathfinder Fellow, and I am proud of DLA Piper’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion. I look forward to LCLD’s fantastic programing on professional development, and the opportunity to learn from and connect with esteemed LCLD alumni and this year’s class of exceptional diverse attorneys,” Kim said.

“We are thrilled that Rishi, Ashley and Jae will have the opportunity to grow their leadership skills through the LCLD Fellows and Pathfinder programs, which are an incredible avenue both for connecting with fellow attorneys and for meaningful professional development,” said Jackie Park, DLA Piper’s co-US managing partner. “DLA Piper is a strong supporter of LCLD’s efforts to improve diversity in the legal industry and promote a culture of inclusion, and we are very pleased that this group of promising lawyers will have the chance to participate this year.”

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 creating a more diverse and inclusive legal profession. To date, more than 10,000 diverse lawyers and legal students have been reached by LCLD programming.