In 2022 D&I continues to be front of mind for businesses. Embracing D&I is evidently a means to working smarter, with racially diverse teams shown to outperform those less diverse by 35% (McKinsey). The legal industry has a long way to go to improve representation, but how can lawyers influence how their organisation responds to this, make the most of their authority, and create real change?
– What actions can in-house lawyers take to make a difference to D&I objectives?
– How can in-house teams measure the diversity of their legal providers, and what should they do with this information?
– How can in-house legal teams put pressure on their supply chain to reflect their D&I objectives?
– What does diverse and inclusive representation mean across jurisdictions?
– The importance of networks and creating cross-industry change
Presenters:
Brian Hanlon, Head of UK Legal Operations & Development, Sky
Brian is a highly experienced senior professional with 21 years’ legal practice, 6 of them at a top international law firm in the City of London and 15 of them at Europe’s leading media organisation.
As Head of UK Legal Operations & Development at Sky Legal, Brian takes a leading role in delivering Sky’s vision to create the ‘Legal Department of the Future, Now’, ensuring Sky Legal is as innovative and efficient as possible in meeting its core objectives. Brian’s role has a particular focus on positively and creatively influencing change and new ways of working in transforming how Sky Legal operates to work smarter, not harder. Brian is passionately focused on personal and professional development at Sky Legal; creating an environment in which Sky’s lawyers can be their best, do their best work and set themselves and the wider team up for success in the future.
Brian previously led the Legal team at Sky Media, Sky’s £1.5 billion adsales business. In 2017, Brian was recognised by the Law Society at their annual Excellence Awards.
Banke Odunaike, Head of Legal, EMEA, CBRE
Banke A. Odunaike is Executive Director and Head of EMEA Legal for CBRE’s Advisory business. She leads a team of lawyers across 18 countries providing a broad range of legal support for CBRE’s Transactions, Advisory, Capital Markets, Property Management and Valuations business lines serving occupier and investor clients across the globe.
Banke is a champion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the law. She has been recognised as one of the UK’s 21 ‘Women Who Will’ for ‘Driving Innovation in Diversity & Inclusion’ according to the Obelisk Report in partnership with the Next 100 Years Project.
Banke established CBRE’s UK Legal DE&I Taskforce – a team who saw CBRE become foundation signatory to the UK Model Diversity Survey in 2021. She sits on the Senior Advisory Board of the Apollo Leadership Institute which brings together general counsel and senior in-house lawyers to collaborate on culture, leadership, and talent; as well as on the creation of meritocratic workplaces. She is also a member of The Eagle Club – a global network of 180 women in senior leadership positions who work proactively to promote equality and the progression of talented women in business.
Daniel Winterfeldt, General Counsel EMEA & Asia, Jefferies
Daniel Winterfeldt is a Managing Director and the General Counsel for EMEA and Asia at Jefferies. He is a senior corporate and securities lawyer with over 22 years of experience in London and New York.
Daniel founded the Forum for US Securities Lawyers in London in 2006 to address US securities issues in the London market across law firms, banks and intermediaries. The Forum was ‘Highly Commended” by the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2016 in the category ‘Innovation in Navigating Regulation’.
In 2008, Daniel founded the InterLaw Diversity Forum, which seeks to promote meritocracy and inclusion for all diverse and socially disadvantaged groups in the legal sector. The InterLaw Diversity Forum was ‘Highly Commended’ by the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2016 for ‘Innovation in Human Resources’. The InterLaw Diversity Forum currently has more than 8,500 members and supporters from over 300 law firms and chambers, and over 500 corporates and financial institutions.
He was named the ‘Legal Innovator of the Year’ at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2012 for his work in capital markets and diversity and inclusion. In 2020, Daniel was appointed as Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa (Honorary QC) for both his contributions to capital markets in England & Wales through the Forum for US Securities Lawyers in London as well as his contributions to diversity, inclusion and culture in the legal sector through the InterLaw Diversity Forum. In 2020 Daniel was also named an MBE for “Services to Capital Markets, to Equality and to Diversity in the Legal Profession”.
