Balch & Bingham on Tuesday announced the addition of Brandi Russell as the firm’s chief diversity & inclusion officer and director of talent management.
Russell joins the firm’s professional management team and will be based in its Birmingham headquarters office.
As chief diversity & inclusion officer and director of talent management, Russell will reportedly work alongside firm leadership and its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council to lead the firm’s diversity strategy, addressing opportunities to enhance diversity and inclusion at every level.
A release from the firm outlined that she will additionally expand recruitment and retention initiatives with a focus on next generation talent. Russell will also direct the implementation of the firm’s professional development program to ensure attorneys have the resources needed to achieve their career goals and deliver greater value to clients.
Balch managing partner Stan Blanton said in a statement, “Creating a dedicated leadership role to direct the firm’s diversity, inclusion and recruitment efforts elevates our commitment to these important initiatives. Brandi’s experience in recruiting, coupled with her leadership in diversity and inclusion programs, will benefit Balch, our clients and our communities.”
“She is an excellent addition to our team and will provide outstanding leadership in guiding our core values of diversity and inclusion,” Blanton continued.
Russell joins Balch from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she served as assistant director of admissions. During her tenure, she was responsible for recruiting law school applicants from across the country and directing various diversity and inclusion programs.
She earned her J.D. from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama. Additionally, Russell is a 2013 graduate of Balch’s Susan B. Livingston Boot Camp for Success, an annual pipeline program for minority and underrepresented law students across the Southeast designed to introduce students to the rigors of law, learn the skills they need to be successful in law school and gain a deeper understanding of the legal profession and future career opportunities.
“I am thrilled to join Balch & Bingham in this role and to further the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and the recruitment and retention of outstanding talent. This role is an opportunity for me to build upon the passion I have for helping students garner success in law school and to extend that guidance and support throughout their career,” stated Russell.
Balch & Bingham is a corporate law firm with more than 200 lawyers across the Southeast and Texas, including its main office in Birmingham and an office in Montgomery.
RELATED: Birmingham-based Balch & Bingham launches program to boost women-, minority-owned businesses
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
