Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to announce Latricia Shepard has joined the firm as its first Chief Talent & Diversity Officer with the aim of advancing the firm’s commitment to further differentiating its culture. Latricia will help the organization further lean into HR operations, talent development, and core values of collaboration, humility, inclusivity, and a fierce resolve to win for its clients, colleagues, and communities.
Latricia joins Spencer Fane on the heels of firm leadership announcing the creation of a new organizational structure that trades the traditional hierarchical approach of managing a law firm for one that separates traditional leadership tasks into two parallel lines of accountability – internally facing Talent Teams and externally facing Market Teams, both of which are led by a diverse group of Spencer Fane attorneys.
As the leader of the firm’s HR team, Latricia will work across Spencer Fane with stakeholders ranging from individual employees to Talent Team leads to the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to create and implement a talent model that ensures employees are able to engage, learn, and grow with the company. She will also play a significant role in helping the firm nurture a culture of continual development, empowerment, autonomy, and accountability while also partnering with the firm’s DEI Committee to build, strengthen, maintain, and leverage a diverse and inclusive law firm for the benefit of its employees, clients, and community.
Latricia brings to the role extensive experience leading global and domestic people operations, systems, processes, and solutions. She has led people strategy and talent management for organizations ranging from Fortune 40 companies to small and mid-size businesses, including Juvare, Comcast, and AT&T. As a certified coach and benefactor of DEI certifications from Cornell and USF, Latricia is recognized as a National DEI Champion by the National Diversity Council. She has experience building and connecting diverse, high-performing, customer-centric teams, while demonstrating command over the full spectrum of human resources functions, including employee engagement, talent acquisition, DEI initiatives, leadership development, succession planning, compensation and benefits, and performance management.
“Latricia brings to our firm the experience and perspective we need to move closer to realizing a culture that merges uncompromising excellence with unfailing kindness in the work we do together for our clients and communities,” Spencer Fane Chair Patrick J. Whalen said. “We are thrilled to have her join our firm as we reimagine the law firm model for the benefit of our colleagues, clients, and the broader legal industry. As Chief Talent & Diversity Officer, she will play an integral role within our firm as we build upon the progress we’ve made in these critical areas.”
Latricia earned a bachelor’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in human resources and organizational development from Georgia State University. She has served on board committee positions for organizations including the YMCA of Greater Atlanta and Greater Dallas and is a member of Forbes HR Council, CHIEF, and the Society for Human Resource Management.