Goulston & Storrs Hires Ayeshah Johnson as First Director of Diversity & Inclusion

BOSTON, Feb. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Goulston & Storrs, an Am Law 200 firm, is pleased to announce that Ayeshah Johnson has joined the firm as its first Director of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). Johnson brings to her new role over 15 years of experience working with business leaders to improve workplace cultures and community relationships. She will work closely with the firm's Legal Talent team, the Inclusion Advisory Committee, and firm leaders to expand on Goulston & Storrs' inclusive foundation and to help ensure that D&I efforts are aligned with the firm's values and strategic goals – and are practiced on a day-to-day basis.

"Diversity and inclusion are essential components to building a collaborative, collegial, and successful workplace, and we are excited to have Ayeshah on board as our first D&I director. We are deeply committed to integrating D&I into every facet of our firm, and Ayeshah's expertise will be invaluable as we continue our efforts to increase the representation of diverse lawyers at our firm and in our leadership," said Martin Fantozzi, Co-Managing Director at Goulston & Storrs. "This important work not only helps us enhance a firm culture where everyone feels they are real stakeholders, but also helps clients who benefit from the experiences and perspectives of a diverse workforce."

Before joining Goulston & Storrs, Johnson was a D&I industry consultant. Previously, she served as the D&I Manager at a 300-attorney law firm. She also spent six years as the Associate Director of Enforcement at the NCAA, where she established and led an employee resource group for people of color, which became an integral part of the organization's business structure and helped increase engagement and professional development of the NCAA staff. Johnson began her career as an attorney with a practice focused on human rights cases.

"Creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace requires an ongoing willingness to embrace new concepts. Ayeshah brings valuable insights and new tools to our efforts to support diversity throughout the firm. I am looking forward to collaborating with her to develop and implement innovative D&I approaches in our workplace," said Amy Moody McGrath, a Director at Goulston & Storrs and Co-Chair of the firm's Inclusion Advisory Committee.

In addition to building the firm's talent pipeline and fostering an inclusive environment where every team member can excel, Johnson will be developing community relationships and partnerships with outside organizations to assess inclusion strategies and bring best practices to the firm. This includes leading the firm's participation in the Diversity Lab's Mansfield 3.0 program, which runs through July 2020.

Last year, Goulston & Storrs was one of only 50 law firms in the country to earn the highest Mansfield 2.0 Certified Plus designation for meeting pipeline consideration requirements and successfully reaching at least 30% diverse lawyer representation – women, lawyers of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyers – in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. Mansfield 3.0 has added lawyers with disabilities to the diverse candidate pool it measures.

Goulston & Storrs was also recently named as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality – receiving a perfect score of 100 on the 2020 Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Johnson received her Master Certificate in HR management from Villanova University in 2018. She received her Master of Laws in international human rights (2012) and her J.D. (2002) from Robert H. McKinney School of Law. She received her B.S. in public policy from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis in 1999.

About Goulston & Storrs
Collaboration is not just a pillar of our strategy; it is the key to our competitive advantage and approach to clients, community, and each other. As you get to know us, you will find that Goulston & Storrs is a modern, vibrant firm where the practice of law is pursued with deep expertise and diligence. It is a place where serious business is conducted with genuine camaraderie. It is a place where mutual respect drives open discussion, fresh ideas, and optimal solutions for our clients.

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SOURCE Goulston & Storrs