Witt W. Chang and Gueter Aurelien selected to participate in LCLD Pathfinder mentoring program
Washington, DC – February 17, 2016 – Venable LLP is pleased to announce that partner Kishka F. McClain has been named a 2016 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow. Additionally, associates Witt W. Chang and Gueter Aurelien have been selected to participate in the LCLD Pathfinder mentoring program.
Launched in 2011, the LCLD Fellows Program, which has trained more than 800 mid-career attorneys, is designed to encourage strong leadership and relationship skills in the legal profession. Each year, LCLD identifies high-potential attorneys from diverse backgrounds and sets them on the path to leadership in their organizations. Over the course of a year, each Fellow embarks on a leadership program that includes in-person conferences, training in the fine points of legal practice, peer-group projects to foster collaboration and build relationships, and extensive contact with LCLD's top leadership, including managing partners and general counsel.
"Venable's commitment to diversity and inclusion remains a cornerstone of the firm," said Venable Co-Managing Partner Lindsay B. Meyer. "Kishka, Witt, and Gueter represent the Venable way, not only through their strong commitment and excellent lawyering to firm clients, but also their impactful contributions to the communities in which they live and work. This is a tremendous honor for them, and we look forward to their continued success."
A litigator and negotiator, Ms. McClain focuses her practice on general and employment litigation and trial work. She represents and counsels clients in the healthcare, education, and government contracting industries, and has successfully represented management in the defense against age, race, gender, religion, and disability discrimination cases in state and federal courts and administrative charges before the EEOC and local agencies. As a team leader for Venable's healthcare cost reduction program, Ms. McClain also drafts and negotiates contracts related to health insurance, welfare benefits, and prescription drug benefits, and develops health and prescription drug benefit cost reduction solutions for clients.
The LCLD Pathfinder Program is designed for diverse, high-potential, early career attorneys to help them develop and leverage professional networks through relationship-building skills, foundational leadership skills, and an understanding of career development strategies applicable to both in-house and law firm practice.
A commercial litigator, Mr. Chang represents businesses in a variety of industries, including media and entertainment, hospitality, and real estate. A member of Venable's Corporate Group, Ms. Aurelien's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings, commercial loan transactions, corporate governance, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and general business law matters.
Founded in 2009, LCLD is a growing organization of more than 240 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are personally committed to creating a truly diverse legal profession. United by a spirit of activism and personal commitment, LCLD members participate widely in the programs they have created—leading by example, taking action, and challenging the legal profession to prepare future generations of diverse talent for the highest positions of leadership.
###
Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia. Our lawyers and legislative advisors serve the needs of domestic and international clients in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property, regulatory, and government affairs.