D.C. DIVERSE PARTNERS NETWORK, INC.

In May of 2008, Benjamin F. Wilson, Esq., Managing Principal of Beveridge & Diamon, P.C. had a mission to bring together minority partners to assist them in the preparing them for the challenges of serving as a partner at a law firm.  Although Ben only had a list of approximate 55 -60 names of partners, approximately 95 lawyers attended what was a successful event. The group was tentatively called Parterns of Color, but after a few meetings the name was changed to D.C. Diverse Partners Network, Inc. (DDPN) to reflect the full diversity of the organization.  DDPN now bosts approximate 300 members and hosts an impressive list of events that offer partner training, mentoring and exposure.

The photos below are from the DDPN's  2009 celebration of those lawyers of color who assended to the partnership ranks within their D.C. law firms.

The affair wasn't just Ben's doing, even though the women insisted he take center stage above. Marianela Peralta (second from left), management-side employment lawyer at Littler Mendelson, did the heavy lifting with assists from Weil Gotshal's Holly Loiseau (we're still waiting to find an organization that Holly isn't a big part of), Patton Boggs' Denise Vanison, and Littler's Alison Davis. Immigration lawyer Denise is busy advising companies on TARP restrictions on hiring foreign nationals.

Photo of  Grace Speights, DC managing partner at Morgan Lewis since October, with Kali Bracey, policyholder-side insurance lawyer at Jenner. Speaking of managing partners, Kali is about to lose hers when Jenner's Tom Perrelli gets confirmed by the Senate as Associate AG. We say when not if, because we can't imagine its not happening, but Kali tells us Tom's still in the office for now.

Alex Romain of Williams & Connolly; Chidi Ogene of Gilbert Oshinsky, Eric "Damages Man" Jackson of Jenner, and Finnegan Henderson's Keith Early. The event commemorated those who've been named partner in the last three years, so '07 partners Alex and Chidi made the cut as honorees. No surprise, really—we pegged Alex as partnership material since his days on the Michigan Law Review. Though looks like they could also get work as NFL linemen.

Another honoree, Tina Hsu of Shulman Rogers, with litigator Michael Battle of Fulbright Jaworski. Michael's been at Fulbright two years, after a stint as U.S. Attorney in the Western District of New York in which he prosecuted the "Lackawanna Six," the group of Yemeni-Americans convicted of providing support to al Qaeda. We stayed on our best behavior while snapping this pic.

Photo of Venable MP Karl Racine with Steptoe's chief diversity partner Sandy Chamblee. Venable cut the ribbon on a new website yesterday, but as far as we know Karl didn't write any code for it. He's been a supporter of the DC Diverse Partners' Network, hosting a reception for summer associates on the group's behalf last year.

If we didn't already know that Ken Wainstein is an important guy, the company he keeps would have tipped us off. In his last gig—as Homeland Security Advisor to the President—he had regular meetings with President Bush, and at O'Melveny he's been placed in the office next door to firm Chairman A.B. Culvahouse.  The Homeland Security appointment ('08-'09) capped 20 years of government service in which Ken did time as GC to the FBI and U.S. Attorney for D.C., prosecuting Riggs Bank on Bank Secrecy Act Duke Cunningham (guilty plea). charges ($16 million fine and guilty plea) and MZM exec Mitch Wade for bribing then-Congressman

Ken hadn't officially started with the firm when we chatted (he's supposed to be doing those things he's put off for 20 years, like cleaning out the basement, before joining the white collar group), but he's looking busy already. He says his job search process "wasn't terribly scientific," and consisted mostly of consulting friends. But with friends like Ken's that's a good thing—one of them is O'Melveny partner Steve Bunnell, former chief of the criminal division in DC's U.S. Attorney's Office. Another familiar face is A.B. Culvahouse himself, who Ken knew from A.B.'s service on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

Commentary produced by Bisnow Legal Editor John Ford - Send reality checks and story ideas to john@bisnow.com.