Rebecca Taylor, Corporate, M&A & Securities
Andrew Hodgson, Real Estate & Development
Erin Olshever, Corporate, M&A & Securities
Andrew Hodgson, Erin Olshever, Corporate and Rebecca Taylor, of Chattanooga, are among 36 attorneys Husch Blackwell has elected to the firm’s partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2022.
"This year’s class, which is the largest in the firm’s history and one of the most diverse cohorts to date, is composed of 44 percent women and 14 percent people of color, spanning 13 offices and all six of the firm’s industry teams," officials said.
Husch Blackwell was recently recognized by the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance as a 2021 “Tipping the Scales” firm, which recognizes law firms for having at least half of their U.S.-based new partner class comprised of women.
“Congratulations to these 36 new partners,” said Chief Executive Paul Eberle. “All have distinguished themselves as outstanding lawyers, committed to solving our clients’ toughest problems, and being collaborators. This is an important milestone, and these attorneys have earned the right to be part of our partnership through an exceptional level of dedication to our firm and to our clients.”
The Husch Blackwell Partnership Class of 202 includes:
• Stephen Agee
• Matthew Ahlers
• Yinka Ajagunna
• Jordan Bergkamp
• Myers Dill
• Patrick Eckelkamp
• Ashley Edwards
• Remy Fesquet
• Andrew Frost
• Andrew Glenn
• Brian Hembd
• Molly Hobbs
• Andrew Hodgson
• Robert Hurtt
• Alex Jashinsky
• Cynthia Juedemann
• Matthew Kamps
• Kaytlin Kopen
• Joesph LaDien
• Timothy Larkin
• David Lopez
• Danielle Luisi
• Emily Lyons
• Michael Martinich-Sauter
• Josie Metzler
• Christina Moore
• Erin Olshever
• Randall Rios
• Elizabeth Samples
• Nida Shakir Ghaffar
• Nicholas Stepp
• Dustin Taylor
• Rebecca Taylor
• Ashley Todd
• Yuefan Wang
• Jennifer Witt
“These 36 attorneys have demonstrated a commitment to maintaining and growing our firm’s culture,” said Chair Catherine Hanaway. “In addition to serving clients and giving back to their communities through pro bono efforts, these new partners have also spent an average of 10 hours each this year on various Diversity, Equity & Inclusion-related activities including our Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Diversity Liaison Program and Associate Mentoring and Coaching. We could not be prouder in welcoming them to the firm’s partnership.”
Husch Blackwell’s Diversity Liaison Program, which began in February 2020, is a one-on-one mentoring program that pairs partners and senior attorneys with attorneys of color and those who identify as LGBTQ+. More than 16 percent of this year’s partner class participates in the program, which includes 111 diverse associates, senior counsel and staff attorneys.
Earlier this year Husch Blackwell hired Amanda Garcia-Williams as the firm’s first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, where she will lead the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts for lawyers and staff, including implementation of strategy, best practices, programs, initiatives and training.
“It’s wonderful to see the promotion of so many talented people, and we are especially proud of the work we have done to identify and promote exceptional women into the partnership ranks; however, that is only one part of the equation,” Ms. Garcia-Williams said. “This year’s class is 14 percent people of color. While that number is above average for firms of our size according to the most recent ABA Model Diversity report, it’s not where we want to be, and we are proactively looking for ways to improve that number.”
Husch Blackwell was recently the recipient of Mansfield Plus certification for the third consecutive year, and a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for the sixth year in a row.