Tamika Walters Joins Burr & Forman as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
ATLANTA, January 14, 2021 – Burr & Forman is pleased to announce the addition of Tamika D. Walters as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of the firm. Walters will lead the firm’s diversity strategy and help further its goals of building a more inclusive culture and diverse workforce.
“Tamika has an impressive record of fostering diverse work environments and creating inclusive cultures,” said Ed Christian, Chief Executive Officer of Burr & Forman. “We are excited to add a visionary leader who shares the firm’s dedication to prioritizing diversity and inclusion for the betterment of our firm, our employees, and our clients.”
Walters will work with firm leadership to align recruiting, retention, and professional development priorities with the firm’s diversity and inclusion goals. She will direct inclusion training, plan firmwide programs honoring the history and traditions of diverse cultures, and provide oversight for attorney resource groups. Walters will also support the firm’s efforts to enhance client service through diverse and inclusive legal teams.
Prior to joining Burr & Forman, Walters served as the Senior Diversity and Inclusion Manager of a national law firm. A former practicing attorney, Walters served on the diversity committee while she was a securities litigation associate. She began her legal career as an intern for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in Washington, D.C., where she coordinated amicus briefs with representatives of leading civil rights organizations in support of preserving diversity in education in the landmark Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger.
Outside of her work in the legal industry, Walters has been involved in numerous efforts to promote diversity and inclusion. As a teacher with the Norwood School in Maryland, Walters led seminars for teachers and administrators through the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) program, and she helped expand the curriculum to reflect diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition, her former non-profit roles include serving as the Secretary of the Board for HARMONY: Atlanta’s International Youth Chorus and as a board member for the ACLU Foundation of Georgia.
“We are excited to add Tamika to Burr’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Her valuable experience and dedicated leadership will help our continuing efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at Burr and within the greater community,” said Ginger Busby, chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee. “Genuine desire and commitment at the leadership level is essential to successfully build a diverse workforce and inclusive environment, and Burr has that commitment. We look forward to continuing to advance our firm’s goals in this area with Tamika’s help and vision at the forefront.”
Walters earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in educational studies from Brown University, where she was coordinator for the African-, Latino, Asian-, and Native-American Mentoring Program and chair of the school’s Harambee House, a living center for students interested in African and African-American culture.
She earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where she received the school’s prestigious GULC Public Service Award. At Georgetown, she served as the community service chair for the Black Law Students Association and litigated civil rights cases through the Institute for Public Representation.
About Burr & Forman
For more than a century, Burr & Forman LLP’s experienced legal team has served clients at the intersection of business and government with local, national, and international interests in numerous industry and practice areas, ranging from commercial litigation and class actions to corporate transactions, including bankruptcy and restructurings. A Southeast regional firm with 360 attorneys and 19 offices in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, Burr & Forman attorneys draw from a diverse range of resources to help clients achieve their goals and address their complex legal needs. For more information, visit the firm’s website at www.burr.com.