Holland & Hart announced today that Phyllis Wan has joined its Denver office as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer of the firm. Wan previously served as Chief Diversity Officer at Hogan Lovells US LLP.
“At Holland & Hart, diversity and inclusion are core values and critical to our business success. We believe our diversity enhances our ability to serve clients more effectively and with greater creativity and innovation,” said Managing Partner Lucy Stark. “We are thrilled to welcome Phyllis to build upon the firm’s existing diversity initiatives and enhance our inclusive culture with fresh ideas that allow all our people to achieve their full career potential.”
As CDIO, Wan will design and drive strategic initiatives that help the firm attract, support, and promote its diverse talent and enrich its inclusive environment through collaboration, education, networking, and engagement by all professionals. She will lead efforts to implement and enhance the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan and explore new programs and opportunities that improve the experience of the firm’s female and diverse attorneys and staff. She will also create approaches to deepen connections with clients and the business community by partnering on diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Wan most recently served as Interim Executive Director of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness (CLI), a Colorado non-profit organization whose mission is to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Prior to joining CLI, Wan was Vice President of Law-Programming, and Chief Broadcast Attorney for Charter Communications. She was a partner for 17 years in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications group at Hogan Lovells US LLP, where she also served as Deputy, then Chief Diversity Officer for eight years. Wan earned her JD from New York University School of Law and began her legal career practicing at an international firm in New York City. Phyllis is Chair-Elect of the CLI Board and a member of the Steering Committee of the CBA |CJI Diversity on the Bench Coalition. She served on the Boards of the Colorado Lawyers Committee, the Women in Law Empowerment Forum, and the T. Howard Foundation.
“It is unique to have a CDIO with the experience of practicing law both within a large corporation and at a major law firm,” said Firm Chair Chris Balch. “As a diverse attorney and former partner at an Am Law 100 firm, Phyllis has an extraordinary depth of knowledge and understanding of the challenges diverse attorneys face, as well as clients’ expectations for outside counsel teams. I am excited about where the firm is headed with Phyllis as the leader of our diversity initiatives. She will hold us accountable to ensure diversity and inclusion remains deeply rooted in the firm’s culture, processes, and initiatives.”
“The legal industry is one of the least diverse, yet most impactful professions in our community,” Wan said. “After 27 years of a fulfilling practice, I decided to devote my skills and experiences full time to diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives, guiding diverse and other lawyers the way so many others had counseled me during my career. Holland & Hart is a leader in diversity and inclusion. I’m excited to collaborate with people across the firm to continue addressing the challenges we face as an industry and as a firm while also cultivating the opportunities that lie before us.”
About Holland & Hart
Founded in 1947, Holland & Hart is a full-service Am Law 200 firm with offices in eight states and in Washington, D.C. We deliver integrated legal solutions to regional, national, and international clients of all sizes in a diverse range of industries. For more information, visit www.hollandhart.com or on Twitter: @HollandHart.