Balch & Bingham’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Director of Talent Management, Brandi A. Russell, served as a panelist at the Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association’s 52nd Regional Convention and Career Fair in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 4, 2023. At the convention, the SRBLSA honored Brandi with the prestigious Alumni of the Year award.
Brandi joined other industry professionals on the panel to speak on the topic, “From Surviving to Thriving in a Remote/Hybrid Legal World.” The panel discussed strategies you can put in place to successfully navigate the remote terrain.
This year’s convention theme, “The Future is Now!” aimed to acknowledge how far Black law students and attorneys alike have come in the legal industry. SRBLSA hosts this convention each year in hopes of creating a legacy through its leadership by addressing the educational needs and goals of minority law students.
Balch was a proud title sponsor of this year’s Social Action Luncheon. Brandi was awarded Alumni of the Year at this year’s luncheon.
The Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association (SRBLSA) is a regional affiliate of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), a student-run, national organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of Black law students. Its mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible black and minority attorneys who excel academically, succeed
professionally, and positively impact the community.
Brandi joined SRBLSA as a law student in 2013 and formerly served as the Association’s secretary from 2014-2015 and as historian and job fair coordinator from 2015-2016. Most recently, Brandi was named to Class II of SRBLSA’s Alumni Advisory Board in 2021.
In her role at Balch, Brandi works alongside firm leadership and its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council to lead the firm’s diversity strategy, addressing opportunities to enhance diversity and inclusion at every level. In addition, she has expanded recruitment and retention initiatives with a focus on next generation talent. Brandi also directs the implementation of the firm’s professional development program to ensure attorneys have the resources needed to achieve their career goals and deliver greater value to clients. Brandi earned her J.D. from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama.