National Bar Association Commercial Law Section (NBA-CLS)

THANK YOU to the amazing group of 2024 DEI-committed sponsors that are putting their words into action by supporting the NBA-CLS: PLATINUM: Alston & Bird Apple DLA Piper Fasken Foley & Lardner LLP Holland & Knight LLP Kirkland & Ellis Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company Microsoft Ogletree Deakins Perkins Coie LLP Seyfarth Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. Townsend & Lockett, LLC GOLD: Bank of America Crowell & Moring Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Duane Morris LLP Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. GE Aerospace Jackson Lewis Legal K&L GATES LLP Kilpatrick Latham & Watkins Bank of America Merrill Lynch Sidley Austin LLP See below for the full list of all our wonderful sponsors! Thank you again for making a real change in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

November Attorney Spotlight: Burleigh Singleton, Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. Burleigh serves as the Managing Partner of the firm's Atlanta office. He represents clients in a variety of commercial disputes, including commercial real estate matters, cross-border litigation, partnership disputes, business torts, and contract claims. Burleigh focuses on trial work and has served as lead counsel in lawsuits and arbitrations in Georgia and throughout the United States. While in law school, Burleigh served as an editor on the Yale Law & Policy Review (YLPR) and was a Thurman Arnold Prize Finalist in the Morris Tyler Moot Court of Appeals. He was recognized in 2018 and 2019 for Construction Law and Commercial Litigation and again in 2025 and the five years immediately preceding for Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Construction Litigation by The Best Lawyers in America. Burleigh was recognized as a Georgia "Rising Star" in Business Litigation, Construction Litigation, and Estate & Trust Litigation in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011. From 2012 - 2024, he was recognized as a Georgia "Super Lawyer" for Business Litigation by Super Lawyers. He was also named to Georgia Trend's 2013 "Legal Elite" for General Practice. "For new attorneys in litigation, I encourage you to embrace the learning curve and stay persistent," says Burleigh . "The first few years can feel overwhelming, but they are critical for building a strong foundation in terms of developing and expanding a new attorney’s skill set." Learn more: https://loom.ly/98-nz3I #commerciallaw #diversityinlaw #blackattorney #law #inclusion #DEI

November Attorney Spotlight: Farah Cook, Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. November Attorney Spotlight: Farah F. Cook, Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. Farah concentrates her practice on intellectual property and technology-focused commercial agreements, marketing technology arrangements, advertising technology, licensing of intellectual property, strategic alliances, content distribution, and SaaS products. Farah was recognized from 2020-2025 by The Best Lawyers in America for IT Outsourcing Law and Privacy and Data Security Law. She was named “Atlanta Lawyer of the Year” in 2025 for Privacy and Data Security Law and "Atlanta Lawyer of the Year" in 2023 for IT Outsourcing Law by Best Lawyers USA. Farah is listed in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as "Up and Coming" in the area of Technology & Outsourcing. In 2019, 2022, and 2023, she was recommended by Legal 500 in the area of Technology/Outsourcing and was named a "Next Generation Partner" by Legal 500 US for Outsourcing in 2023. "The best advice I would offer new attorneys is to stick with it and stay in the practice," says Farah. "At my level, I see so few women and diverse attorneys who practice in my field; however, this area of the law is fun, exciting, and constantly changing, so there are always opportunities for growth." Learn more: https://loom.ly/iUIoILc #intellectualproperty #diversityinlaw #blackattorney #law #inclusion #DEI

November Company Spotlight: Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. Kilpatrick is trusted counsel to the world’s most innovative companies with a foundation of over 160 years of success. As one of a handful of law firms focused on serving the world’s most groundbreaking organizations, Kilpatrick always strives to be at the forefront, from creating a best-in-class client experience. With recognized strength in the technology sector and a full range of service offerings, Kilpatrick does things differently from their peers because they put people first. The firm's highly skilled and intellectually curious team delivers practical, business-centric solutions built upon unusually strong and enduring connections with their clients. Kilpatrick is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that values everyone. They believe that diverse legal teams offer clients a broad range of perspectives on critical legal and business issues. Under the leadership of their Diversity & Inclusion Council, the firm diligently integrates diversity and inclusion into client service, team collaboration, and the recruitment of prospective attorneys and administrative professionals. Kilpatrick is proud to support the NBA-CLS and its mission to strengthen the diversity of attorneys representing Corporate America and support the pipeline of African-Americans entering the legal profession. Learn more: https://loom.ly/1r86wuc #diversityinlaw #blackattorney #law #inclusion #DEI

It's Election Day! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Your voice matters more than you think – exercise your power at the polls TODAY! By casting your vote, you're not just participating in democracy; you're shaping the future of our community and nation.

The NBA-CLS is proud to introduce you to Executive Officer Rashida MacMurray-Abdullah, Esq., PMP. With over two decades of client-service experience at the intersection of risk and technology, Rashida is a results-driven executive, social impact champion, and innovator. Known for her ability to build trust, she is an agile communicator with a talent for leading through change and ambiguity while engaging key stakeholders to empower diverse teams. Rashida is also an outspoken advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. She has served in multiple leadership roles focused on facilitating a culture of belonging, implementing policies and programs designed to promote professionals from underrepresented groups in all aspects of the core business operations as well as across the enterprise. We're thrilled to have Rashida serving as Chair on our Executive Committee where she will be using her talents and expertise to strengthen and support the NBA-CLS's mission!

🚨 REGISTRATION IS OPEN! 🚨 Secure your spot at the NBA-CLS’ 38th Annual Corporate Counsel Conference taking place February 20-22, 2025 and take advantage of our early bird rates from now until November 16th! This Conference be held at the El Conquistador Resort, Puerto Rico, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, will offer a blend of professional development, networking, business growth, and community engagement, all in a beautiful setting that supports focused and impactful programming. ➡️REGISTER NOW: https://lnkd.in/eRjxnFHP

Believe it or not, the holiday season is here! For many, it's a time of the year to slow down, enjoy friends, food, and family, and put much of the rest of the world on the back burner. While this mindset can be especially challenging for attorneys, it's important to decompress and come back recharged and ready to take on the new year. The following article from Lawclerk.legal offers some great tips for how to manage your time, keep things on track, and still make time for yourself!

Join us! We have election protection command center opportunities in DC, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. 📝 Protect our voting rights by volunteering on election day. ✔️ ➡️MILWAUKEE: https://loom.ly/2Hi7hOA ➡️WASHINGTON, DC: https://loom.ly/MG6ESx8 ➡️ATLANTA: https://loom.ly/elMiMhY

Want to stay on top of everything February's 38th Annual Corporate Counsel has to offer in Puerto Rico? Make sure to download the NBA-CLS app, your indispensable guide for our greatest event yet! Not only will you need our app to check in for CLE credit, it will also allow you to see conference schedules, venue maps and information, chat with colleagues, stay updated on any last-minute news or updates, and much more. Best of all, you can take all of our app's networking and career building features home to keep the conversations going all year long! Download the app here: 📲 Google Play download link: https://loom.ly/0lYqOv8 📲 Apple Store download link: https://loom.ly/MOZtnEI Check out this video to see how to use the app: https://loom.ly/pui_YxE #diversity #inclusion #diversityinlaw #nbacls #CorporateCounselConference