Sheppard Mullin Names Bob Neufeld to Newly Created Chief Talent Officer Position
Carol Ross-Burnett Named Firm's First Manager of Diversity and Inclusion; Talent Management Positions Spearhead Firm Recruitment, Development and Diversity Efforts
LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - October 1, 2007) - Robert Neufeld has joined Sheppard Mullin
Richter & Hampton LLP as the firm's first Chief Talent Officer (CTO), based
in the Los Angeles office. As CTO, Neufeld leads all of the functions that
affect the associate lifecycle: recruiting, performance and development,
diversity and inclusion, and direct practice group support. He was most
recently Director of Talent Management at Blank Rome LLP in New York.
Neufeld has an extensive background in human resources and employee
relations, having also held executive level management positions at
BearingPoint Inc., ChaseMellon Financial Group and Shearson Lehman
Brothers.
Joining Neufeld is Carol Ross-Burnett as Sheppard Mullin's first Manager of
Diversity and Inclusion. Ross-Burnett will manage and support the firm's
existing diversity efforts and develop new internal and external diversity
initiatives. She most recently provided diversity training and consulting
services to the legal profession as the Principal of CRB Consulting in Los
Angeles. Prior to consulting, Ross-Burnett was Assistant Dean for Career
Services & Multicultural Affairs at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
"Sheppard Mullin has been a leader in this area. I am excited to help the
firm build on its success in the role of Chief Talent Officer, and am
pleased to have Carol join me to head up our diversity efforts," said
Neufeld. "In creating the CTO role, the firm is again demonstrating vision
and leadership. The legal industry faces increasingly complex challenges,
all of which are directly or indirectly related to its success in
attracting and leading our people. I'm delighted to join the firm's
leaders in that effort."
"After years of addressing diversity issues in the legal profession and in
organizations at the local, state and national levels, I am delighted to
bring my experience to Sheppard Mullin," said Ross-Burnett. "I am
impressed with the firm's commitment to diversity, confirmed by its
rankings in the Minority Law Journal and MultiCultural Law magazine. I
look forward to helping further position Sheppard Mullin as a leader in
this area."
"Talent management and diversity are two of the firm's top priorities. We
need, and our clients demand, a team of attorneys that is the best of the
brightest and is as diverse as the world in which we practice," commented
Robert Beall, the firm's administrative partner. "Bob's background and
success in talent management makes him an ideal choice for this leadership
position. We are pleased to welcome him and Carol as part of our strategic
initiative in this area."
About Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with 500 attorneys in 10
offices located throughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and
Shanghai. The firm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County, Del Mar Heights and
San Diego. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeed
only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective
legal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and
international clients. Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to handle a full
range of corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and
complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include
more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please
visit www.sheppardmullin.com.
Contact Information: CONTACT:
Bob Neufeld
(213) 617-5430
Carol Ross-Burnett
(213) 617-4128
Ralph Richardson
(213) 617-5542