Brooks Kushman in Southfield announced Chanille Carswell, shareholder and co-chair of litigation, as chief diversity officer of the firm. She will be responsible for overseeing the strategic planning of the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives both within the firm and in the community.
In her expanded leadership role, Carswell will continue to focus her efforts on broadening Brooks Kushman’s mentoring and recruitment programs, professional development strategies, pipeline initiatives, and community outreach programs. Carswell will work closely with the firm’s executive committee to implement internal strategies that foster hiring, mentoring, and promoting diverse professionals.
“At this critical juncture, when our work and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion must reach a new level, we are elated to have Chanille as our chief diversity officer,” says Sangeeta Shah, CEO of Brooks Kushman. “Throughout her career, she has seized opportunities to advance underrepresented groups and to understand and pursue effective strategies for progress in the legal profession and broader community. Over the past decade, she has repeatedly demonstrated her willingness to go above and beyond to effectuate real change, which is why I know she is a great fit for this leadership position.”
Carswell facilitates the firm’s participation in the Wolverine Bar Association’s Summer Clerkship Program, which is designed to help increase the number of practicing minority attorneys, and is a participant of the Corporate Counsel Women of Color community and annually attends the organization’s Career Strategies Conference. She was a 2015 fellow within the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and is the membership chair for the Michigan Intellectual Property Inn of Court.
“I am honored to be appointed Brooks Kushman’s chief diversity officer. I admire all of the work the team has done so far to elevate DEI issues not only in the firm but the wider legal community, and I can’t wait to continue to advocate for these efforts,” says Carswell. “I am passionate about pushing our firm to be a leader in the DEI space, and I have a lot of ideas about how we can get there.”
As chief diversity officer, Carswell will continue to improve transparency and objectiveness in hiring and promotional processes, improve metric tracking to address shortfalls and biases, and more.
The firm will continue its involvement through partnerships and relationships with key local, national, and international organizations including the Corporate Counsel Women of Color, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, diversity and women focused bar associations, and ChIPs.
Brooks Kushman is an intellectual property and technology law firm dedicated to the advancement and protection of innovations and brands. They have offices in both Michigan and California.
