CHICAGO (October 29, 2018) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Genhi Givings Bailey has joined the firm as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Genhi previously led the diversity and inclusion department at DLA Piper for eight years.

“Throughout her career, Genhi has shown a strong dedication to diversity and inclusion, which are core values of our firm,” said John Devaney, Perkins Coie’s Firmwide Managing Partner. “Her exceptional skills, experience, and grasp of diversity and inclusion issues will help us build on the progress we’ve made to date and contribute fresh thinking to further advance our efforts. We are very excited to see what she brings to this role.”

Genhi, who will be based in Perkins Coie’s Chicago office, will lead the firm in achieving its current diversity and inclusion goals and develop new initiatives that champion diversity as a key ingredient to driving the firm’s success. She will lead recruitment, retention and advancement plans for diverse lawyers and work closely with the firm’s senior leadership and department heads to ensure consistent and effective diversity and inclusion efforts across the firm.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to join a firm like Perkins Coie, which has demonstrated a genuine commitment to embrace diversity and inclusion and embed it into its culture,” Genhi said. “I look forward to collaborating with others at the firm and adding my experience and knowledge to take the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts to the next level.”

In addition to her experience in the legal industry, Genhi serves as a board member and volunteer for various groups, including the Diversity and Flexibility Alliance, the Chicago Sinfonietta, Umoja Student Development, the Posse Foundation and the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals. Prior to her roles focused on diversity and inclusion, Genhi was a Legal Placement and Diversity Consultant at Ajilon in Minneapolis and a practicing attorney focused on trademark and copyright in the entertainment industry. Genhi received her J.D. from the Mitchell Hamline College of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from Metropolitan State University.

Perkins Coie has been recognized for excellence in the legal industry and is frequently honored for its commitment to fostering a culture where all employees have the opportunity to grow and thrive. A few recent recognitions include:

• Named one of 2018 Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For^® the 16th consecutive year, and also named among Fortune’s “100 Best Workplaces for Women” and “30 Best Workplaces for Consulting & Professional Services.”
• Named one of the “Best Law Firms for Women” seven times by Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers LLC.
• Received the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s top rating of 100 percent in the Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, ten years in a row.
• Named one of the top three achieving law firms in Microsoft’s FY16 Law Firm Diversity Program.
• Received the T-Mobile 2017 Diversity Excellence Award.

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high-value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

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