BP Legal Honors Hunton Andrews Kurth with its External Counsel Diversity Award

Hunton Andrews Kurth was proud to receive the 2018 BP Legal Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Award at a reception at BP’s Houston office on November 28, 2018. The annual award recognizes outside counsel firms for their extraordinary efforts and alignment with BP’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Partner Tom Taylor accepted the award on the firm’s behalf and was accompanied by a number of firm lawyers and professional staff, including Shemin V. Proctor and Gus Membiela, two of the Hunton Andrews Kurth Diversity and Inclusion Committee co-chairs.

BP based the firm’s selection in part on information gathered earlier this year, including the diversity of lawyers who work on BP matters and who serve in firm leadership positions. One example includes the strong number of women and minority lawyers promoted to equity partner in 2017 — six female lawyers and one minority lawyer among nine total promotions. BP also considered the firm’s extensive diversity programming designed to support the recruitment, retention and promotion of female and minority lawyers within the firm and increase diversity levels within the legal community as a whole.

“We are proud of Hunton Andrews Kurth and the great progress they have made in the area of diversity and inclusion at their firm and in the surrounding community. The firm deserves this recognition, and we look forward to working with them in their continued effort to attract and retain top diverse talent in our legal field,” stated Malika Herring, senior litigation counsel and BP Legal chair of diversity and inclusion for the Americas and the external counsel management committee.

“We share BP’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion and are honored that they selected our firm for this award,” stated Taylor. “At Hunton Andrews Kurth, we know that an inclusive workplace not only makes the firm a better place to work, but also fosters more creative ideas and, ultimately, ensures better service to our clients.”