Patterson Belknap Names Kito Huggins Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP is pleased to announce that Kito Hugginshas been appointed Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In this capacity, he will design and deploy strategies which further strengthen the Firm's diverse and inclusive culture in close collaboration with, and as a member of, its senior leadership team.

Mr. Huggins joins the Firm from the strategic communications and crisis management consultancy, FGS Global (formerly Finsbury Glover Hering), where he was a Managing Director in the New York office and U.S. Head of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practice. Prior to his tenure with FGS Global, Mr. Huggins was a Director of Executive Administration and Senior Manager of Global Diversity and Social Responsibility for Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, where he launched its award-winning alumni and career assistance program, and managed various attorney affinity group and client engagement activities. Mr. Huggins has facilitated executive leadership development training, performed organizational assessments, and has advised clients on their diversity committee launches while employed with the FutureWork Institute. Earlier in his career, he spent several years as in-house litigation counsel for MetLife and served as a vice president of compliance for Lehman Brothers. Mr. Huggins began his career as a litigation associate at Shearman & Sterling LLP following a clerkship for the Honorable U.W. Clemon, retired Chief Justice of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Mr. Huggins is a board trustee of Vanderbilt University and board chair of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, a non-profit advocacy organization that offers services to LGBTQ+ families and survivors of violence. He also serves as an advisor to Kanarys, Inc., a Black-owned tech start-up that helps employers build more inclusive workplaces. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.S. from Vanderbilt University.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kito to the Firm," said Patterson Belknap's Co-Chair and Managing Partner Dahlia B. Doumar. "We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse community. Kito brings a breadth of experience leading diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the legal industry and beyond to this role, which will benefit our attorneys, business services staff, and clients."

"I am excited to join Patterson Belknap to help lead necessary conversations and advocate for commitments which bring long-term and meaningful change concerning the DEI issues impacting the Firm and the legal profession broadly," said Mr. Huggins. "I look forward to working with the partners, attorneys, business services staff, and clients on this very important work."