Hogan Lovells appoints trio for Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Positions

"LCLD programs have had tremendous impact in helping advance underrepresented lawyers in their careers and personal lives," said Hogan Lovells CEO Miguel Zaldivar, who is a member of LCLD's Leaders at the Front initiative. "Ashley, Derrick, and Jennifer have played an instrumental role in propelling DEI across the firm and within their communities. We are proud to have them as our Fellow and Pathfinder appointees and are excited to see their professional growth and leadership development in the coming year."

The LCLD Fellows Program identifies high-potential lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds and sets them on the path to leadership within their organizations. Over the course of a year, each Fellow embarks on a leadership program that includes in-person conferences, training in the fine points of legal practice, peer-group projects to foster collaboration and build relationships, and extensive contact with LCLD's top leadership, including managing partners and general counsel.

2023 LCLD Fellow Ashley Howlett, a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, focuses her practice on antitrust clearance and analysis of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), particularly those involving multi-jurisdictional investigations and second requests. She also has experience in nonmerger antitrust investigations, litigation, and counseling. Ashley has assisted in representing clients in matters before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as various U.S. federal courts. During a secondment with Verizon Communications, Ashley served as in-house counsel, advising on various antitrust matters. She co-authored an antitrust compliance treatise published by Bloomberg Industry Group as part of the Corporate Practice series.

Washington, D.C.-based senior associate Derrick Petit, named a 2023 LCLD Pathfinder, helps clients navigate both government and internal investigations. Derrick’s experience includes representing a multinational biopharmaceutical company in parallel investigations brought by the DOJ and SEC; guiding a Fortune 500 company through an internal FCPA compliance review; and representing a large financial services company in responding to a state attorney general subpoena concerning an investigation into alleged financial crimes by a third party. Additionally, Derrick is active in the community via his pro bono practice, which includes representing clients in matters ranging from a trademark litigation before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to filing a habeas corpus petition on behalf of an illegally detained immigrant, as well as serving as a mentor to various law students as Chair of the Student Affairs Committee for the Washington Bar Association.

New York-based senior associate Jennifer Lee, also named a 2023 LCLD Pathfinder, helps clients navigate complex financial restructurings and insolvencies. She guides clients through difficult situations with creative solutions. Jennifer began her career with the firm as a summer associate in 2017. While in law school, Jennifer gained valuable experience in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Clinic, serving as a mediator to assist parties in developing mutually agreeable resolutions to disputes. Before law school, she taught elementary school through Teach For America.

LCLD is the premier legal diversity organization in the United States engaging general counsel and managing partners of law firms to promote diversity and inclusion in legal organizations. Founded in 2009, LCLD works to improve and promote diversity at law firms. LCLD Members create diversity programs and take action, challenging the legal profession to prepare future generations of underrepresented talent for the highest positions of leadership. More about the organization can be found here.