Corporate Counsel Women of Color® Convenes 7th Annual Conference of Women Attorneys From Around the World on October 5-7, 2011 at Famed Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California

GATHERING WILL HONOR LEADING INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, AND LAW FIRMS FOR PROGRESS IN DIVERSITY AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN OF COLOR ATTORNEYS

NEW YORK and BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Corporate Counsel Women of Color® ("CCWC"), an international organization of women attorneys and corporate legal counsels of color, will convene its 7^th Annual Career Strategies Conference on October 5-7, 2011 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in the Los Angeles suburb of Beverly Hills, California.  In addition to an itinerary filled with informative sessions, workshops and headlining speakers, CCWC will also honor some of the country's top attorneys, corporations and law firms for their progress toward diversity among the ranks of women attorneys. International law firm K&L Gates LLP is the conference presenting sponsor.

"Our annual Career Strategies Conference is more than just an opportunity for our membership to network and reconnect with colleagues," said Laurie N. Robinson, Founder and CEO of CCWC. "We annually build a strong platform of plenary sessions and individual workshops designed to strengthen their portfolio of knowledge as attorneys.  This year, we will also take time during our conference to honor individuals, companies and law firms who exemplify the mission of CCWC and our commitment to diversity and women of color in the legal profession."

Teresa M. Sebastian, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Darden Restaurants, Inc., will be the featured keynote speaker for the conference and will also receive the CCWC Diamond Award of Excellence for her career achievements. Darden is the world's leading full-service restaurant company, and owns and operates the Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52 brands. Ms. Sebastian oversees all of Darden's legal affairs, including matters of board governance, corporate finance, securities regulation and labor and employment law. In 2011, Darden became the first full-service restaurant company ever to be named to the Fortune Magazine "100 Best Companies to Work For" listing.

CCWC will also present its inaugural Diversity Award of Excellence to two law firms and two corporations—Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Adams & Reese LLP, American Airlines and Southern California Edison for outstanding achievement in their commitment to diversity and the advancement of women attorneys of color. Honorees will receive recognition on Thursday, October 6, 2011 during the keynote luncheon featuring Ms. Sebastian as the speaker.  

Other noteworthy speakers featured during the CCWC conference include:

• Stedman Graham, Chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates, and New York Times best-selling author of You Can Make It Happen:  A Nine-Step Plan for Success;
• Judge Glenda Hatchett, star of Sony Pictures Television syndicated court show Judge Hatchett;
• Patti Wood, noted body language expert and author of Success Signals – Understanding Body Language, The Conflict Cure and Easy Speaking – Dynamic Delivery; and
• Dr. Robin L. Smith, motivational speaker and best-selling author of Lies at the Altar: The Truth About Great Marriages and Inspirational Vitamins:  A Guide to Personal Empowerment.

CCWC made national headlines earlier this year when the organization unveiled its groundbreaking study on the work experience of women of color attorneys. The report — The Perspectives of Women of Color Attorneys in Corporate Legal Departments — revealed new data about an increasingly important sector of the legal community. The report gave corporations, as well as law firms – which have been noted to have high attrition rates within this unique group – the tools and best practices to engage, leverage, and maximize the talented pool of women of color attorneys within their ranks.

About Corporate Counsel Women of Color® & the Diversity Award of Excellence
CCWC® is a 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 2004 to foster diversity in the legal profession and to address and meet the unique needs of its 2,500 plus members who work primarily for Fortune 1000 and Forbes 2000 legal departments. In connection with the findings and recommendations in The Perspectives of Women of Color Attorneys in Corporate Legal Departments, CCWC will honor two law firms and two corporations with its prestigious Diversity Award of Excellence at its Seventh Annual Career Strategies Conference in Beverly Hills, California at the Beverly Hilton on October 6, 2011.

For more information on Corporate Counsel Women of Color, please visit its website at www.ccwomenofcolor.org. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected] or 646-483-8041.

Michael Lewellen
(407) 408-5861
[email protected]

SOURCE Corporate Counsel Women of Color