Drew Wilson
Gunster’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee recently hosted its second annual Leadership Training Academy (LTA) for law students across Florida.
More than 30 second- and third-year law students attended the academy, which was established to serve and inspire the next generation of Florida attorneys by providing them with substantive leadership, legal training and mentorship opportunities.
The theme for this year’s program was “Exploring Avenues to a Meaningful Career,” and it featured a “View from the State Bench” session with Judge Fabienne Fahnestock, who serves on Florida’s 17th Judicial Circuit Court, and a visit from Florida Bar President Gary Lesser.
“It was my great honor to speak at Gunster’s Leadership Training Academy,” Lesser said. “It’s really an exceptional program, providing mentorship, leadership training, career counseling and more. It’s the gold standard that other firms should emulate.”
The academy also included lively panel discussions with attorneys from leading in-house legal departments, including Russell King (McDonald’s), Danica Sun (Cleveland Clinic Florida) and Alexander White (Bank of America), as well as attorneys from law firms of various sizes and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami. Gunster attorneys moderated these panel discussions and participants gained invaluable takeaways from presenters, who highlighted their own journeys and paths to success.
“Each year, our goal is that the LTA will bring together an array of speakers from around the state and, eventually, across the country, who have demonstrated a commitment to servant leadership in their career,” said Jonathan K. Osborne, a Gunster shareholder and DE&I committee member.
“This year’s students were incredibly engaged and have already shown their enthusiasm to develop as leaders, while exploring their own avenues to a meaningful career. Gunster is proud to serve the students and law schools of Florida through the LTA.”
Gunster’s DE&I Committee develops and implements strategies designed to ensure the law firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is met. It hosts the Leadership Training Academy annually along with other programming designed to foster meaningful dialogue to advance DE&I both within the firm and the community at large.
