The Law Offices of Bradford and Barthel announced that Farai Alves, managing partner and conflict resolution strategist at the firm’s Oakland office, became the firm’s first chief diversity officer as of June 15.
Alves has been with the firm since 2005, and ran the firm’s Oakland office for years. In addition to training many of the firm’s attorneys, she has also done numerous client webinars and training events during her tenure at the firm.
“I am excited to take on this role with Bradford & Barthel. Helping create a diverse workplace in which everyone in our firm can thrive, is a goal that is near and dear to my heart,” Alves said. “I have been with Bradford & Barthel for 15 years, and have not only gained work experience, but I have found friendship, inclusivity and opportunities to grow and share ideas at B&B.”
As chief diversity officer, Alves will develop programs to increase diversity within the firm through mentoring, training, and education.
“In my new role as chief diversity officer, I aim to reach out and learn what ideas within our firm can help us to become better,” Alves said. “Additionally, I have some exciting ideas about mentoring, multicultural education, and numerous other ways to keep getting better at what we do. We, as a nation, are going through some painful times of growth, in learning to live and work with those who are different from ourselves. We at Bradford & Barthel want to be a part of positive change around us, and continue our spirit of excellence within our firm.“
Founding partner Don Barthel said that Alves is perfectly-suited to help the firm meet its enduring goal to embrace and celebrate the benefits of diversity.
“Although the need for diversity has guided the firm since its inception, Farai’s background and professional experience make her particularly well-suited to ensure that B&B cultivates a work environment that encourages and supports diversity,” he said. “This will include the development and promotion of inclusion programs such as firm-wide diversity training and multicultural events.”
Tahmeena Ahmed, executive managing partner of client relations for the firm, said that Alves’ promotion to the position is “well-deserved” and will help support strategic collaboration between the firm’s talent acquisition team and its other departments. Ahmed noted that since her arrival at the firm in 1998, she has always felt that the firm has supported diversity and inclusion during her tenure with the firm.
“For instance, what other firm can boast the hiring and promotion of a young, under 30, mother of 2, minority female to lead its largest office,” she said. “B&B has been setting this type of bar when they hired me to run their Tarzana office. It has been my personal experience that the firm early on recognized that diversity and inclusion are critical to innovation.”
Alves’ promotion is yet another example of the firm’s efforts to continue to develop, manage, and bolster diversity within the organization, Ahmed said.
Alves graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Business and French from Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Thereafter, Ms. Alves obtained her Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia in 2002. She is multilingual, and speaks English, Shona and French.
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