ELS co-founding partner, Chandra C. Davis, shared highlights from the 2019 NAMWOLF Driving Diversity & Leadership Conference* held in New Orleans, LA February 16 – 19, 2019. (*f/k/a The Business Meeting & Law Firm Development Day)
Chandra serves the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (“NAMWOLF”) as Labor & Employment PAC’s Outreach Committee Co-chair. NAMWOLF Practice Area Committees “PACs” are designed to help member firms to develop business with corporate counsel and build referral relationships with their fellow law firm members. She is also active in the Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality PAC.
NAMWOLF PACs
PACs organize meetings between NAMWOLF member firms and corporate counsel. These meetings help NAMWOLF members demonstrate capabilities and the ability to team with other firms to serve national corporate clients.
NAMWOLF firms can also partner with large, national counsel locally or handle a variety of cases for corporate clients. Examples include the following: handling all EEOC charges, single plaintiff cases, mediations, and arbitrations.
General Pointer:
Law firms can add value by offering to participate in corporate counsel regional meetings and provide CLE programs to in house attorneys. This is a great way to further relationships and demonstrate value.
Takeaways from Two of the Many Engaging Conference Sessions:
Labor & Employment Practice Area Committee CLE: Preventing Scandals – Zero Tolerance for Zero EQ in the Legal Practice and at Trial
Rick Hammond of Walmart and other panel participants stressed the value of emotional intelligence and provided tips on how lawyers can increase their emotional intelligence.
Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Practice Area Committee CLE: Workplace Active Shooters: Lawyers Preparing for and Responding to the Unimaginable
This engaging presentation highlighted the importance of preserving attorney-client privilege, the logistics of safety, and the need to have lawyers familiar with your business at the ready and prepared to assist in the event of a disaster.
Gregg McCrary of the Threat Assessment Group stressed how important it is to have a team in place. Other panelists discussed disaster preparedness, insurance, and legal issues. Companies need to establish Best Practices regarding how to deal with guests injured in a disaster, law enforcement investigators, worksite issues, media and public relations, insurance and negligence-based claims.
