Norton Rose Fulbright names Tapley its US Chief of Diversity and Inclusion

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced San Antonio partner Katherine Tapley as its new US Chief of Diversity and Inclusion, effective January 1, 2021. In this new role, she serves as Chair of the US Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Tapley succeeds Denise Glass, who is now the Administrative Partner of Norton Rose Fulbright's Dallas office. Tapley will work closely with the US Management Committee to strengthen the firm's diversity and inclusion efforts, ensuring that the firm's lawyers, personnel and clients are treated with dignity and respect. Most recently, Tapley chaired the firm's Women in Norton Rose Fulbright (WiN) Network.

A partner since 2017, Tapley contributes to multiple civic and community activities. For the last 10 years, she has served on the Real Estate Service Board of Directors for the San Antonio Area Foundation, which facilitates the donation of real property for philanthropic objectives. Additionally, Tapley has served since May 2016 on, and currently chairs, the Board of Governors of SA Youth, a nonprofit organization that strives to improve the education, character, and overall lives of high-risk San Antonio-area youth.

Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright's US Managing Partner, commented:

"Katherine championed diversity for several years at Norton Rose Fulbright, consistently looking for opportunities for the firm to make meaningful enhancements. While we have made notable progress in our diversity and inclusion efforts, this important area remains a priority for us."

Tapley, whose practice focuses on commercial real estate and financing transactions, said:

"Fostering diversity and inclusion is a critical component to being the best possible place to work for our people. I will work tirelessly to ensure the firm succeeds in this arena."

Over the past year, Norton Rose Fulbright received the Gold Standard Certification by Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), recognizing the firm's incorporation of women into top leadership positions, and also registered a perfect score of 100 percent for policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in its Corporate Equality Index. Chambers Associate, a guide for law students, ranked Norton Rose Fulbright in the top 10 of the 50 law firms performing best in diversity and inclusion.

Additionally, Diversity Lab announced that the firm met Mansfield Rule Certification 3.0 and Mansfield Certification Plus status, formulas that measure success in promoting underrepresented lawyers and considering them for leadership roles and other key positions.

Tapley, who was named one of San Antonio's most outstanding lawyers by the San Antonio Business Journal in 2019 and is a Fellow in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, earned her JD at St. Mary's University School of Law and her Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Arts at The University of Texas at Austin.