Corporate Counsel Profiles Nimesh Patel as a “Lawyer Making a Difference” on D&I

Akin Gump chief diversity and inclusion officer Nimesh Patel was profiled for the Corporate Counsel article “Three Lawyers, Two General Counsel, One Focus: Diversity and Inclusion” as one of “five lawyers who are making a difference” by increasing the law profession’s diversity and inclusion in all areas, including social mobility.

Patel says that, globally, a common point of focus are gender and LGBTQ issues, along with race and ethnicity. However, noting that his work takes him to the firm’s London office, he says that his observation of D&I efforts and emphases in the U.S. and other countries shows him that the U.K. is closest in this regard to the U.S., stating “One important area of distinction is that of social mobility. It’s an important focus in the U.K.”

He also sees GCs taking leading roles in both the U.S. and U.K., noting that he speaks regularly with in-house counsel teams and draws optimism not only from their “level of focus” but also from specific actions being taken across the board. Some GCs, he says, are giving bonuses to law firm that excel in D&I and withholding business from underperforming firms: “We are certainly seeing that they are requiring diversity on the pitch team. And when year-end meetings with the firm have D&I in the conversation, it makes a huge difference at the firm.”

The article notes that Akin Gump’s diversity strategy comprises four goals: leadership engagement, recruiting and pipeline, professional development, and strategic partnerships. Regarding these partnerships, Patel says, “Our [corporate] clients have become more and more interested in law firm diversity and inclusion efforts. So there has been more partnering with clients and with diversity-related organizations.”