For the second consecutive year, McGuireWoods has been named a finalist for Outstanding Firm for Pro Bono and Veterans Program of the Year in Chambers and Partners’ Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America 2021.
In addition, McGuireWoods chairman Jonathan Harmon is a finalist for Diversity & Inclusion Lawyer of the Year; partner Mark Kinghorn is a finalist for Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year; and counsel Tanisha Reed is a finalist in the Future Leader category.
The annual awards honor firms and individuals for advancing diversity and inclusion across the United States and Canada. Winners will be announced June 17 in a virtual awards ceremony.
“Diversity and inclusion have long been core values at McGuireWoods and we are pleased to be recognized,” said partner Ava Lias-Booker, chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. “Fostering a culture that encourages diverse ideas and opinions is critical to delivering innovative solutions for our clients.”
Harmon is a finalist for strengthening the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, establishing new initiatives and enhancing efforts to provide meaningful support and leadership roles for lawyers of color and women and LGBTQ+ lawyers. An influential leader in the legal profession and business community, Harmon created and moderates the firm’s monthly Leaders in Color webcast, where top lawyers from corporate legal departments and civil rights organizations offer insight on inclusion, leadership and racial justice.
Kinghorn, a partner in the Charlotte office, is recognized for exceptional pro bono service. He has been instrumental in the success of the firm’s one-of-a-kind Charlotte Triage project, which brings together local law firm and corporate legal department leaders to expand pro bono services for low-income Charlotte residents and ease the burden on legal aid organizations.
Reed, counsel in Charlotte, is an advocate for racial justice and equality. She is a member of the firm’s Racial Justice Task Force and a former executive board member and treasurer of the John S. Leary Association of Black Attorneys. At the request of Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Reed joined the mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative, which challenges local businesses to play a role in racial justice efforts.
McGuireWoods was shortlisted in the Outstanding Firm for Pro Bono category for providing critical legal assistance to low-income and underserved communities, including helping clients break free from human trafficking, gain asylum, escape domestic violence, challenge unfair prison sentences and obtain disability benefits.
The firm earned a place on the Veterans Program of the Year shortlist for innovative initiatives to support military veterans. The firm’s Veteran Lawyers Network supports military veterans inside the firm and leverages the experience of McGuireWoods’ lawyers to provide legal assistance to service members nationwide. The firm earned a “Highly Commended” rating in the Veterans Program of the Year category in Chambers’ 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Awards.