Fish & Richardson Hires Kia Scipio as New Diversity & Inclusion Manager

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May 16, 2017, 11:46 ET

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fish & Richardson announced today that Kia Scipio has joined the firm as Diversity & Inclusion Manager. Scipio will be based in the Washington, D.C. office and will focus on continuing to embed diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency into the firm's day-to-day operations. Scipio will report to Fish's Chief Professional Development Officer, and will work closely with Fish's Diversity Committee, EMPOWER Women's Initiative, and other strategic teams to support the firm's commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Kia Scipio has joined Fish & Richardson as Diversity & Inclusion Manager. Scipio will focus on continuing to embed diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency into the firm’s day-to-day operations. Scipio will report to Fish’s Chief Professional Development Officer, and will work closely with Fish’s Diversity Committee, EMPOWER Women’s Initiative, and other strategic teams to support the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Previously, Scipio was Director, Small & Medium Firms and Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives at Georgetown University Law Center, where she counseled law students and developed employer partnerships. Scipio has also held senior professional development positions at two large Washington, D.C. law firms, and served as assistant director of externship programs at the University of Baltimore School of Law before that.

"Kia has stellar academic credentials and deep professional experience, and we are thrilled she is joining us. Kia will be invaluable in helping to advance our mission of promoting a creative, respectful, and inclusive culture that values the diversity of all people, and harnesses their experiences, perspectives, talents, and capabilities," said Peter Devlin, President of Fish & Richardson. "As a firm that serves the world's greatest visionaries, we know that creativity and innovation almost inevitably are the result of seeing the world from multiple different perspectives. We believe in the power of diversity to spark innovation."

The firm also recently completed a Diversity & Inclusion strategic plan, which sets goals for the firm to increase the number of individuals from diverse backgrounds in the firm, increase the percentage of diverse individuals in positions of leadership, and increase the number of diverse individuals with key responsibility with firm clients. In addition to helping to execute the Diversity & Inclusion strategic plan, Scipio will be responsible for planning, developing, and directing strategies to help Fish effectively recruit, develop, and retain its diverse workforce, and for supporting an environment where all people feel included.

Scipio received her J.D. from George Washington University Law School in 2001 and her B.A., cum laude, from Spelman College in 1998. She was a law clerk for the Honorable Zinora Mitchell-Rankin and the Honorable Robert R. Rigsby following law school. She has served as an adjunct professor on issues of diversity and inclusion at Georgetown University Law Center, Trinity Washington University, and the University of Baltimore School of Law. She is an active member of NALP, where she has held several leadership roles.

Fish & Richardson is a global patent prosecution, intellectual property litigation, and commercial litigation law firm with more than 400 attorneys and technology specialists in the U.S. and Europe. Our success is rooted in our creative and inclusive culture, which values the diversity of people, experiences, and perspectives. Fish is the #1 U.S. patent litigation firm, handling nearly three times as many cases as its nearest competitor; a powerhouse patent prosecution firm; a top-tier trademark and copyright firm; and the #1 firm at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, with more cases than any other firm. Since 1878, Fish attorneys have been winning cases worth billions in controversy – often by making new law – for the world's most innovative and influential technology leaders. For more information, visit https://www.fr.com or follow us at @FishRichardson.