Gold Sponsor

Polsinelli

https://www.polsinelli.com/

Polsinelli is an Am Law 100 firm with more than 1,200 attorneys in over 25 offices nationwide. Recognized as one of the top firms for excellent client service and client relationships, Polsinelli is committed to meeting our clients’ expectations of what a law firm should be. Our attorneys provide value through practical legal counsel infused with business insight, offering comprehensive corporate, transactional, litigation and regulatory services with a focus on health care, real estate, finance, technology, private equity and life sciences.

Why did they decide to become an NBA-CLS sponsor? (50 – 100-word count)

The NBA-CLS provides an outstanding platform for networking and relationship building for in-house and outside counsel interested in promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.  It provides a space for Black attorneys to gather, connect, and support one another The legal talent that attends the NBA-CLS is of such a high caliber that it is almost impossible to replicate, while the connections made are organic and life-long. Since diversity and inclusion are long-standing core values of Polsinelli that lead to opportunities for aur lawyers and our firm, we are pleased to support the NBA-CLS annual conference.

Additional Information

Polsinelli’s goal is for every individual to feel supported regardless of what position they hold. We are committed to creating an environment where every employee retains their unique character and persona to contribute to the greater team. Our different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences heighten our ability to serve both our internal and external clients. Because we continuously challenge here-to-before accepted thinking and actions surrounding diversity, we are what a law firm should be.

October 2025 Attorney Spotlights

Gold Sponsor

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

https://www.dwt.com/

In many ways, we look a lot like most other AmLaw 100 firms. We have smart, well-trained lawyers. We care about our clients and want them to succeed. We can offer niche expertise or deep teams, depending on the nature of your legal needs. Indeed, we “represent clients from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on the full range of…” (see pretty much every other AmLaw100 firm website). 

But you probably want to know what makes us different. The main thing is, we know that great clients have lots of options, and we want to be an easy and obvious choice for them. So we’re open to looking for ways to meet their needs, as opposed to finding reasons we can’t. We won’t take you for granted or forget who works for whom.  

What Our Clients Need, However They Need It 

We’re open to solving legal questions in ways that work for your particular business needs, or corporate culture, or organizational imperatives. We’re open to serving you in ways that meet your budget, or integrate best with your team, or just give you more peace of mind. 

We look for creative ways to add value beyond our legal work product. We’re on a straight retainer with one of our largest clients, with no billable hours, providing budget certainty and eliminating the huge administrative burden on our client of reviewing bills. We built our own staffing agency so we could offer the flexibility and cost savings of contract professionals but maintain control over quality, service standards, and client integration. We won national innovation awards three years running, based on developing new and better ways of serving clients. And then we quit competing for those awards, so we could just focus on our clients. 

Excellence First  

All that wouldn’t matter much if we weren’t also excellent. According to colleagues who have joined us from other firms, we collaborate better to serve clients and build successful practices. We’ve built a national First Amendment team that protects content generators and distributors from those who would stifle expression. A litigation team that is a top choice for leading tech companies, healthcare providers and those in the cross-hairs of an over-reaching government. Multidisciplinary, industry-focused teams doing some of the most interesting transactional, regulatory, and litigation work out there in technology, media, entertainment, communications, healthcare, financial services, food and beverage, restaurants, and energy. 

We combine the focus, flexibility and personal connections of a boutique, with the scope, scale and resources of an AmLaw 100 firm – but without the drawbacks of either. Finding that balance has put us in a good place. We have out-performed the vast majority of the AmLaw 100 over the past several years but we haven’t forgotten who we are: open, humble, user-friendly, committed to service. We’re pretty sure you’ll be happy you chose us. 

Visit us at http://www.dwt.com to learn more. 

Why did they decide to become an NBA-CLS sponsor? (50 – 100-word count)

DWT is committed to supporting the vision and mission of NBA-CLS, and have been longstanding supporters of NBA. We are intentional about partnering with minority bar organizations to provide opportunities, resources, and support for our black attorneys. We aim to create an industry where all talented individuals, including those from communities traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession, can have and can see paths to success. Our partnership with NBA-CLS does just that. Our attorneys have greatly benefited from their engagement and the connections they’ve made through the CLS Conference, and are excited to continue our support of NBA-CLS in the years to come.

Additional Information

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are part of the fabric of Davis Wright Tremaine—central to who we are and what we do. Our vision is to foster a culture where all talented individuals—including those from communities traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession—can have, and can see, paths to success. 

The Four Pillars 

Our DEI vision is built on four pillars, embedded across the management of our firm: 

• • Community: Fostering a culture that generates a sense of belonging, supports authenticity and intersectionality and embraces and appreciates our differences
  • Growth: Building and recruiting a diverse pipeline of talent and ensuring our professionals have equitable access to opportunities, information, and leadership
  • Education: Generating opportunities to learn about DEI in order to elevate our individual and collective consciousness. 
  • Engagement: Collaborating with external stakeholders, including our clients, affinity bar organizations, other external diversity organizations, to further our shared values around DEI.

Our commitment to DEI begins at the very top, with the active participation in our DEI efforts by the firmwide Managing Partner, the Executive Committee, and our Chief Talent & Inclusion Officer.  Our Diversity Executive Council (DEC) leads the firm’s DEI strategy and direction and includes our managing partner, several Executive Committee members, and key lawyer and business professional leaders from across the firm.   

DWT is also nationally recognized for supporting in-house legal departments’ pro bono and social impact efforts. We offer customized opportunities to do good, and assist with everything from creating and scaling in-house pro bono programs to hosting days-of-service based on the in-house teams’ community objectives.

October 2025 Attorney Spotlights

Silver Sponsor

O’Melveny & Myers LLP

https://www.omm.com

Across sectors and borders, in boardrooms and courtrooms, O’Melveny measures its success by its client’s.

And in its interactions, O’Melveny commits to making the client experience as satisfying as the outcomes they can help the client achieve. Their greatest accomplishment is ensuring that the client never has to choose between premier lawyering and exceptional service.

December 2024 Attorney Spotlights

Patron Sponsor

About HP, Inc.

https://www.hp.com/us-en/hp-information.html

HP, Inc. is a technology company born of the belief that companies should do more than just make a profit. They should make the world a better place.

Their efforts in climate action, human rights, and digital equity prove that they are doing everything in their power to make it so.

With over 80 years of actions that prove their intentions, HP, Inc. has the confidence to envision a world where innovation drives extraordinary contributions to humanity.

And their technology – a product and service portfolio of personal systems, printers, and 3D printing solutions – was created to inspire this meaningful progress.

HP, Inc. knows that thoughtful ideas can come from anyone, anywhere, at any time.

And all it takes is one to change the world.

November 2024 Attorney Spotlights

Patron Sponsor

Meland Budwick, PA

https://melandbudwick.com

Meland Budwick, P.A. is a law firm that believes in doing what its attorneys know best. This means focusing on areas of the law where our knowledge and experience are strongest. It requires rigorous analysis of the details and nuances of every matter, development of effective strategies, and meticulous execution. This hands-on, detail-oriented approach helps ensure that our clients’ interests are protected. Meland Budwick, P.A.’s attorneys are recognized by Chambers and Partners and the firm is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Meland Budwick, P.A. is a member of LawPact, a leading international association and network of independent business law firms. The firm’s participation in LawPact allows us to provide our clients with access to the highest caliber of attorneys across the U.S. and internationally.

October 2024 Attorney Spotlights

Partner Sponsor

About Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

https://www.nationwide.com/personal/about-us/

For more than 90 years, Nationwide has grown from a small mutual auto insurer owned by policyholders to one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world.

Early growth came from working together with Farm Bureaus that sponsored the company. Eight Farm Bureaus continue to promote Nationwide.

Today we still answer to our members, but we protect more than just cars and Ohio farmers. We’re a Fortune 100 company that offers a full range of insurance and financial services across the country. Our products include car, motorcycle, homeowners, pet, farm, life and commercial insurance. We also offer annuities, mutual funds, retirement plans and specialty health services.

November 2025 Attorney Spotlights

September 2024 Attorney Spotlights

Silver Sponsor

About Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath

https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/

Faegre Drinker is a firm designed for clients. We opened our doors on February 1, 2020, uniting Faegre Baker Daniels and Drinker Biddle & Reath, two firms known for exceptional legal and consulting capabilities and a commitment to service excellence. Clients are at the start — and the heart — of everything we do.

With 1,200 experienced attorneys and consulting professionals licensed in nearly every state in the U.S., and with strategic offices in London and Shanghai, we have the strength and reach to solve our clients’ most complex transactional, litigation and regulatory challenges, wherever they may arise.

Our culture is firmly rooted in relentless client focus and mutual trust that empowers collaboration. We listen to understand your priorities and pressure points. We bring you fresh ideas that work. And we deliver excellence — without arrogance. We are committed to our communities and to building a diverse and inclusive firm that reflects those communities and our clients.

Bolstered by our collective history, Faegre Drinker moves boldly into the future, investing in talent, technology and innovation to continually provide clients with exceptional service, collaborative experiences, innovative approaches and value.

September 2024 Attorney Spotlights

Gold Sponsor

About Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

https://www.dwt.com/

Davis Wright Tremaine (DWT) is a national, full-service business and litigation law firm representing clients in the United States and around the world. The firm was founded on a simple guiding principle: to provide clients with high-value legal services customized to their particular needs. 

We pride ourselves on resolving legal concerns effectively and efficiently, while considering our clients unique business objectives and minimizing business disruption and legal and reputational risks.

We are client-focused, business-minded, practical, and highly responsible. Our attorneys practice in virtually every area of law important to the businesses we serve.

Purpose drives us. DWT was founded on three guiding fundamentals: ability, integrity, and service. Those principles have remained constant even as the firm has grown to more than 600 attorneys in 11 offices coast-to-coast. They shape the ways we engage with and support our clients in an ever-changing legal landscape. 

Our current practices include: Brand Protection and Advertising; Corporate and Business Transactions; Employment, Benefits, and Immigration; Energy, Environmental, and National Resources; ESG; Litigation; Real Estate; and Privacy and Security.

We currently operate in a variety of industries including: Artificial Intelligence, Cannabis, Communications, Financial Services, Food & Beverage, Foundations & Nonprofits, Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, and Technology.

For almost eight decades, DWT’s pro bono and social impact work has been distinguishing and cutting edge. Our program continues to champion all those who need access to justice the most, not just those who can afford it. Pro bono and social impact isn’t just a part of the firm’s vision to better our communities, it is central to our existence. Attorneys across DWT’s eleven offices collaborate and support legal service providers, partner with our clients on pro bono opportunities and community service endeavors, and are thoughtful contributors to the community. In this way, we innovate not only the manner in which we do business, but how we give back. You can learn more in our 2023 Pro Bono & Social Impact Report.

Why did you decide to become an NBA-CLS sponsor?

DWT is committed to supporting the vision and mission of NBA-CLS, and have been longstanding supporters of NBA. We are intentional about partnering with minority bar organizations to provide more opportunities, resources, and support for our black attorneys. We aim to create an industry where all talented individuals, including those from communities traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession, can have and can see paths to success. Our partnership with NBA-CLS does just that. Our attorneys have greatly benefited from their engagement and the connections they’ve made through the CLS Conference, and are excited to continue our support of NBA-CLS in the years to come.

Additional Information…

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are part of the fabric of Davis Wright Tremaine—central to who we are and what we do. Our vision is to foster a culture where all talented individuals—including those from communities traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession—can have, and can see, paths to success. We are dedicated to this vision because diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams reflect the world we serve, create a more engaging firm environment, and equip us with the most cutting-edge solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges. Beyond that, DEI is simply the right thing to do. 

The Four Pillars 

Our DEI vision is built on four pillars, embedded across the management of our firm: 

• Community: Fostering a culture that generates a sense of belonging, supports authenticity and intersectionality and embraces and appreciates our differences
• Growth: Building and recruiting a diverse pipeline of talent and ensuring our professionals have equitable access to opportunities, information, and leadership
• Education: Generating opportunities to learn about DEI in order to elevate our individual and collective consciousness. 
• Engagement: Collaborating with external stakeholders, including our clients, affinity bar organizations, other external diversity organizations, and the broader business and investment community. 

Our Diversity Executive Council (DEC) leads the firm’s DEI strategy and direction and includes our managing partner, several Executive Committee members, and key lawyer and staff leaders from across the firm.   

You can learn more about our DEI efforts and initiatives in our 2023 Annual DEI Report (dwt.com).

September 2024 Attorney Spotlights

Platinum Sponsor

About Townsend & Lockett

https://townsendandlockett.com

Townsend Lockett is the standard for the lean, efficient, sophisticated law practice. Defined by our culture of driving our client’s business objectives first and foremost, Townsend Lockett’s practice areas cover all the core components of enterprise, including without limitation, leasing, commercial real estate acquisitions, corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, employment, cyber security, contract drafting and negotiations, intellectual property development, protection and enforcement, business litigation and dispute resolutions, and regulatory compliance. We train and orient our attorneys to seek legal solutions as business solutions, with an eye towards what saves or generates the most dollars for our clients. Our goal is to be your business partner in tandem with being your legal hammer.

We leverage our various practice area experts to afford businesses a single law firm service provider without having to deal with mega firm bureaucracy and red tape. Our litigation attorneys work in lockstep with our corporate and transactional attorneys to deliver results that keep all aspects of a matter at the forefront; thereby reducing short and long-term client legal expenses and costs.  Having years of experience negotiating and litigating complex international cases and transactions with some of the nation’s largest law firms, our lawyers can address clients’ most difficult legal issues.

Due the business savvy and emphasis placed on client business objectives, many of our clients source us as outside general counsel to support a multitude of their strategy and operations decisions. Recognizing that our value should not be limited to simple and narrow legal advice, we separate ourselves from other law firms by digging deep for understanding of your goals and desires,

Why did you decide to become an NBA-CLS sponsor?

We decided to become a Platinum Sponsor of the National Bar Association’s Commercial Law Section Annual Corporate Counsel Conference because our firm’s mission and vision is directly aligned with that of the Section and Conference. We each thrive on and endeavor to bring forth untapped complex and diverse solutions to the marketplace. We look forward to meeting and connecting with our colleagues around the nation, and connecting with corporate counsel regarding legal and business issues and developments in the market. It is our honor to support the Section and the Conference.

August 2024 Attorney Spotlights