Fox Rothschild LLP congratulates Kimberly Bullock Gatling, the firm’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, on her selection to the inaugural list of Leaders in Diversity by the Triad Business Journal.

This list recognizes individuals who use their position to help drive diversity initiatives within their organization. As Fox’s first Chief D&I Officer, Gatling has worked to develop and implement programs and policies that support the firm’s goals of increasing and promoting a diverse workforce and inclusive environment at all levels.

“When it comes to DEI, I offer other leaders the same advice I give myself, which is that baby steps are better than no steps, and that we have to meet people where they are,” Gatling told the Triad in an interview.

Since first accepting her appointment in May 2020, Gatling has led the firm’s efforts at a historic moment in our nation’s history. During the summer of 2020, she coordinated donations of $25,000 each to the Innocence Project and Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and launched a firmwide pro bono initiative partnering with organizations throughout the country that supported Black communities by targeting aid to Black-owned businesses and addressing issues of inequity in housing, criminal justice and entrepreneurism.

Gatling then turned her focus internally, leading the development of a comprehensive diversity, equity and inclusion strategy designed to integrate DEI into the full range of decision-making, from the choice of suppliers to internal promotions. One key tactic includes ongoing DEI training for all attorneys and staff that will help keep these issues front of mind throughout the firm. To jump-start efforts to track significant metrics and reach new benchmarks, Gating led the firm’s entrance into Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule 5.0 and ChIPs and Diversity Lab’s Inclusion Blueprint, which help evaluate and promote equitable work opportunities and diversity in positions of law firm leadership.

Beyond all her concrete achievements, one of Gatling’s most important contributions to the firm’s DEI efforts has been an intangible one – setting a strong, determined and optimistic tone.

“Holding both authentic conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion and effecting systematic organizational changes to promote DEI can be challenging,” she added. “We have to understand the culture of the organization we’re working within in order to balance reaching for stretch goals with being patient for the appropriate pace for the work.”