TWO BIG EVENTS in ONE DAY

DEIA Workshop & Business Partner Appreciation Event
The Heart-Work and Science of DEI, then leap into your dancing shoes.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility (DEIA) Workshop 2:00PM – 4:00PM 
Business Partner Appreciation Event 4:00PM – 6:00PM

Venue
Hotel Saint Louis 
705 Olive Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63101
Parking is available at Central Downtown Garage (707 Pine Street, St. Louis, MO 63101). 

BUSINESS PARTNER SPONSORS

DESCRIPTION
During the DEIA Workshop, we will explore real-life ways to connect without bias within teams, organizations, and clients alike, starting square one-SELF! You will also learn how to use data to surface implicit bias in the allocation of career advancing work and enable evidence-based talent development. Plus, more!

Then, LEAP into THE BUSINESS PARTNER APPRECIATION EVENT from 4:00 - 6:00 for our Business Partner Appreciation event. This is an opportunity to connect with Legal Administrators and fellow business partners and leaders in a fun and relaxed setting. Celebrating Fun in Leadership: At this event, we will be celebrating the importance of fun in leadership. As leaders, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities and forget to incorporate elements of fun into our work. However, incorporating fun can have a positive impact on employee morale and productivity. This event is a chance for us to come together and celebrate our uniqueness as leaders. Why Appreciate Our Business Partners? Our business partners play a crucial role in our success as Legal Administrators. They provide us with valuable resources, expertise, and support that help us achieve our goals. This event is an opportunity for us to show our appreciation for their partnership and contribution to our professional growth. Fun Activities: This event will be full of fun activities! We will also have prizes available!

PARKING
Parking is available at 707 Pine Street Garage, one block from the hotel at $4/hour, or valet parking at the hotel for $22.

COST
Complimentary to all ALA members and 2 Business Partner representative who have renewed for the 2024 sponsorship year, $25 for other law firm guests.

CERTIFICATION APPROVALS
CLM^®- Pending
SHRM and HRIC - Pending

ABOUT THE DEIA WORKSHOP SPEAKERS

Kesha Kent (DE&I Talent Strategist at Husch Blackwell)

Kesha is a wife, mother, a High Energy Speaker, two-time author, she wrote her 1st book Networking it’s your Superpower and released it on Juneteenth 2020! She has over 20 years of experience in Talent Development, Training, Development and Talent Acquisition. Her current role is National Diversity Talent Strategist, with Husch Blackwell a national Top 100 law firm, with over 800+ lawyers in more than 20 offices across the United States. Kesha works to bring Husch Blackwell’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy to life, in particular through recruiting and retaining top legal talent. Prior to joining Husch Blackwell, Kesha worked at the fourth-largest health system in the United States.

Kesha is a new DTM, Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest award level within Toastmasters and Division Director with District 8 Toastmasters International. She has shared her expertise as panelist and keynote speaker for media outlets such as Oprah Daily and a diverse group of businesses and organizations, including, Ameren, Hire Level Staffing, Dress for Success, Washington University at St. Louis, Saint Louis University, Judson University,  SCI Engineering, Professional Women's Alliance, National Society of Black Engineers, National Speakers Association, National Black MBAs and more. Kesha has also served on several local and global boards!

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and Leadership and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership both from Judson University! She’s an expert in personal and professional development and the art of networking to build diverse teams, clients, and lifelong connections.

Catherine Krow (Managing Director of Diversity & Impact Analytics at BigHand)

Catherine is the Managing Director of Diversity and Impact Analytics at BigHand.  She is also the founder of Digitory Legal (now BigHand Impact Analytics), an award-winning cost analytics company that helps law firms and legal departments leverage data to succeed in an evolving legal market.   Catherine is a passionate about data-driven DEI and has designed programs, processes and technology that leverage data to promote equitable allocation career-advancing work.  She also helps BigHand customers use technology to reduce tension between lawyers and clients through cost transparency, data-driven pricing, and effective project management. 

 Before founding Digitory Legal, Catherine practiced law at top-tier firms - first at Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett and then at Orrick, where she was a litigation Partner.  She is an accomplished trial lawyer with extensive experience representing global corporations in a wide variety of high-stakes litigation matters.  She is also a frequent speaker and recognized thought leader on evidence-based DEI initiatives, legal technology, litigation practice management, cost analytics, and the use of artificial intelligence and data in law.

 Catherine has received several accolades recognizing her groundbreaking work in legal technology and the advancement of the legal industry.  In 2024, she received the Legal Week Leaders in Tech Award for Championing Diversity in Technology.  Her company, Digitory Legal, was recognized by the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) as a 2022 Legal Innovation in Operations award recipient and received the InnovAction award for its work with Kaiser Permanente on data-driven diversity and inclusion programs.  In 2020, Catherine was elected to be a fellow of the prestigious College of Law Practice Management, and Digitory was named Disrupter of the Year by the Changing Lawyer.  In 2019, Catherine was an American Bar Association "Women in Legal Tech" honoree and was named to the Fastcase50 list "honoring the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, & leaders."  Catherine also received CloudNow's 2019 Top Women Entrepreneur in Cloud Innovation award and was the 2018 winner of "The Pitch", an international legal technology competition.

 Learning Objectives

1.      Explore real-life ways to connect without bias within teams, organizations, and clients alike, starting square one-SELF! (It’s all relational)

2.      Regardless of if you are an introvert or extrovert, you’ll learn to see your relationships, each one, as an individual and a gift.

3.      Establish clear, realistic, and measurable ways to connect on any level, with anyone, removing bias.

      4.      Learn how to use data to surface implicit bias in the allocation of career advancing work and enable evidence-based talent development

      5.      Be able to demonstrate challenges and progress internally and externally

      6.      Discover market insights around client use of data for outside counsel DEI programs

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