Rekha Chiruvolu

In the News

• Los Angeles Times

  Staying the course: Nixon Peabody is building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace

  In this article, Los Angeles Office Managing Partner Sonia Nayak, of the Community Development Finance group, and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Rekha Chiruvolu discuss several ways that organizations can effectively create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, using NP LA’s office story and their DEI progress as an example.

  Dec 18, 2022
• Law360

  Five BigLaw firms recognized for inclusion efforts

  This article features NP among five BigLaw firms named to the ChIPs 2022 Honor Roll for their inclusion efforts. ChIPs—an international organization for women in tech, law, IP, and policy—recognized NP for excellence in inclusion overall, noting the firm’s pioneering work as part of the Move the Needle Fund. The article quotes Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Rekha Chiruvolu on the firm’s commitment to evolving, learning, and adjusting its DEI initiatives as needed. 
  Aug 12, 2022
• Bloomberg Law

  How big law aims to make good on ‘meritocracy,’ lessen pay gap

  This article, part of a series on what big law firms are doing to achieve greater equity for women and diverse attorneys, quotes Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Rekha Chiruvolu on NP’s Move the Needle goal of increasing diversity among the firm’s equity partnership ranks, and also on the Diversity Lab Workflow app NP has been piloting to ensure associates from underrepresented groups are being staffed on matters.
  June 2, 2022
• The American Lawyer

  'Significant jump' in client inquiries leads to new diversity practice at Nixon Peabody

  This article features the launch of NP’s cross-industry DEI Strategic Services group, developed to help clients advance comprehensive DEI strategies and address systemic challenges. The article quotes the group’s co-leaders, Chief Talent Officer and Providence Labor & Employment partner Stacie Collier, Washington, DC Corporate partner and Franchising & Distribution co-leader Kendal Tyre, and Chicago Labor & Employment counsel Kamau Coar, as well as Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Rekha Chiruvolu.
  April 18, 2022
• New Hampshire Bar News

  Legal community is addressing diversity and attorney representation for minorities

  In this article covering diversity initiatives within the New Hampshire legal community, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Rekha Chiruvolu discusses a diversity internship program piloted by NP and four other law firms in the state.
  Feb 1, 2022
• New Hampshire Business Review

  Legal Briefs - Industry news from across New Hampshire

  This roundup of notable legal industry news features Rekha Chiruvolu’s elevation to Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, while also highlighting Long Island Complex Commercial Disputes partner Joe Ortego’s role as Diversity Partner.
  Jan 19, 2022
• Washington Business Journal

  Morning briefing

  Rekha Chiruvolu’s elevation to Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer is featured in this roundup of noteworthy regional news, mentioning some highlights of NP’s DEI initiatives and background details from Rekha’s career.
  Jan 13, 2022
• Bloomberg Law

  Nixon Peabody elevates diversity director to C-suite

  The following article features the promotion of Rekha Chiruvolu to Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, noting her points of focus for the DEI program and her close collaboration with Pro Bono & Social Impact Director Sharmaine Heng to expand our positive impact as a firm. Law360 also quotes Managing Partner and CEO Steve Zubiago on Rekha’s passion for DEI in the legal profession.
  Jan 11, 2022
• Law360

  Nixon Peabody elevates diversity director to C-suite

  The following article features the promotion of Rekha Chiruvolu to Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, noting her points of focus for the DEI program and her close collaboration with Pro Bono & Social Impact Director Sharmaine Heng to expand our positive impact as a firm. Law360 also quotes Managing Partner and CEO Steve Zubiago on Rekha’s passion for DEI in the legal profession.
  Jan 11, 2022
• The American Lawyer

  Nixon Peabody elevates Chief Diversity Officer role as it looks to expand DEI programming

  The following article features the promotion of Rekha Chiruvolu to Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, noting her points of focus for the DEI program and her close collaboration with Pro Bono & Social Impact Director Sharmaine Heng to expand our positive impact as a firm. Law360 also quotes Managing Partner and CEO Steve Zubiago on Rekha’s passion for DEI in the legal profession.
  Jan 11, 2022
• World Trademark Review

  What more can law firms do for LGBTQ+ Equality

  This article, which features diversity and inclusion initiatives among law firms honored by Human Rights Watch in 2021 as “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality,” highlights NP as an industry leader in this space. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director Rekha Chiruvolu is quoted on the importance of creating a mission statement and fostering a culture of open communication.
  Oct 14, 2021
• American Lawyer

  Can BigLaw fix its failures on work allocation?

  This article focusing on possible solutions to the implicit biases within work allocation processes at BigLaw firms quotes Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu on NP’s piloting of Diversity Lab’s Workflow app, and the technology’s positive impact on equitable and transparent decision-making within the firm.
  Aug 26, 2021
• American Lawyer

  New Mansfield program targets law firm work assignments and their inherent biases

  This article features NP as one of two law firms piloting the Mansfield Rule for Workflow app, which aims to remove inequity and implicit bias from work assignment processes. Rekha Chiruvolu, director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, is quoted on the app’s functionality, how it can reduce biases when work is assigned, and its adoption among attorneys. Law.com and Bloomberg Law also picked up the article for their morning roundups.
  July 27, 2021
• Reuters Legal

  Law firms embrace Juneteenth holiday as small step on race

  In an article looking at how law firms are observing Juneteenth—commemorating the end of slavery in the United States—Diversity & Inclusion director Rekha Chiruvolu explains why it is important that we recognize the historic event in a meaningful way.
  June 1, 2021
• World Trademark Review

  The message from the top is clear-Nixon Peabody DI director on importance of open communication

  In this series highlighting top-ranking IP law firms that also received Human Rights Campaign’s “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” honors, Director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu discusses the communication and training that goes into upholding our firm’s D&I policies, and why a concise mission statement with a clear message from leadership is vital to creating a truly inclusive organization.
  May 19, 2021
• Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

  Ways forward from a watershed time

  Chicago office managing partner David Brown, of the Corporate group, and Director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu provide commentary in this article about NP’s diversity & inclusion initiatives and how the firm is working to combat racial injustice and systemic racism in our society.
  April 30, 2021
• New Hampshire Business Review

  What businesses should know and do about diversity and inclusion (podcast)

  Director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu joined the “Down to Business” podcast to discuss the current state of diversity in business and recent progress, NP’s D&I initiatives, and circumstances in New Hampshire that make diversity programs particularly relevant.
  April 15, 2021
• The Daily Record

  Nixon Peabody dedicated to advancing diversity within the firm

  This feature article on NP’s Diversity Challenge, which now includes up to 60 hours of billable hour credit toward diversity-related activities, extensively quotes Rochester office managing partner Jared Lusk and Director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu on Rochester’ s diversity-focused events and initiatives and NP’ s firmwide commitments to D&I.
  Feb 24, 2021
• Law360

  Nixon Peabody offers billable hour credit for diversity work

  This article features the evolution of NP’ s Diversity Challenge, which now includes up to 60 hours of billable hour credit toward diversity-related activities. Washington, D.C. Corporate partner Kendal Tyre, who is credited with conceptualizing the Challenge back in 2010, is quoted on how seriously the firm takes diversity. Director of Diversity & amp;Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu, based in Los Angeles, is mentioned for spearheading the Challenge. Bloomberg Law also mentioned the Challenge in their morning roundup of notable legal news “Wake Up Call.“
  Feb 18, 2021
• Washington Lawyer

  Higher Ambition: Moving the Needle on Law Firm Diversity

  This feature article on the Move the Needle Fund and law firm diversity spotlights Nixon Peabody’s MTN participation and quotes Washington, D.C. office managing partner Colette Dafoe, of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate group, and director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu on why it’s vitally important to increase diversity in the legal profession.
  June 5, 2020
• Providence Business News

  Nixon Peabody’s success in creating diversity comes from the top

  Managing partner and CEO Andrew Glincher, Director of Diversity and Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu, and Providence Office Managing Partner Andrew Prescott provide commentary in this profile highlighting Nixon Peabody’s diversity and inclusion efforts. At Thursday’s Providence Business News Diversity & Inclusion Summit, NP was honored as the award winner in the Legal Services category.
  Dec 6, 2019
• Boston Business Journal

  Nixon Peabody is changing how it finds young talent

  This article, which quotes CEO and managing partner Andrew Glincher and Director of Diversity and Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu, covers Nixon Peabody’s efforts to expand and diversify the pool of young talent by hiring fewer summer associates and brining on more year-round interns.
  Oct 14, 2019
• Boston Business Journal

  At Boston-area law firms, diversity is becoming a full-time job

  This article quotes Director of Diversity and Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu on Nixon Peabody’s robust diversity-focused initiatives and mentions CEO and managing partner Andrew Glincher’s support for these programs. The article also notes that Rekha has been in the role since 2015, and many competitor firms in Boston are just now hiring for similar positions.
  Sep 19, 2019
• Buffalo Business Journal

  Buffalo’s law firms aim to make inclusion commonplace

  Director of Diversity and Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu talks about Nixon Peabody’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, and the effort to integrate principles of inclusion into every aspect of the firm.
  May 17, 2019
• Law360

  Effort to boost diversity in leadership touts top law firms

  Director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu is quoted in this story discussing Nixon Peabody’s commitment to increasing diversity in its leadership and partnership ranks—an effort that culminated in a Mansfield Certification Plus designation from Diversity Lab.
  Aug 20, 2018
• Practical Law

  Managing a multigenerational law firm

  Director of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu is quoted in this article for her view on how law firms can successfully support a multigenerational workforce, which is another aspect of ongoing conversations about diversity.
  Aug 1, 2018
• Medium.com

  An APP-etite for Feedback

  Director of Diversity and Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu wrote this contributed article about Nixon Peabody’s instant feedback tool for associates, called Here and Now: Real-Time Feedback.
  June 5, 2018
• Law360

  Law firms lead the pack for LGBTQ corporate equality

  Manager of Diversity & Inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu is quoted in this article about the most recent edition of the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which highlights Nixon Peabody among the law firms receiving a perfect score of 100 and earing recognition as a “Best Place to work for LGBTQ Equality.”
  Nov 10, 2017
• Law360

  3 law firms with their own riff on the Mansfield Rule

  This article about law firm’s efforts to improve diversity through variations of the Mansfield Rule quotes diversity and inclusion manager Rekha Chiruvolu on Nixon Peabody’s recruiting initiative that requires at least 20 percent of all lateral candidates to be diverse.
  Oct 27, 2017
• Rochester Business Journal

  Preventative discrimination training should be ongoing

  Rochester labor and employment partner Stephanie Caffera and manager of diversity and inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu were quoted in this special report regarding why employers should provide preventative discrimination training in the workplace.
  Oct 20, 2017
• Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

  Chicago firms, legal field rank high in LGBT study

  Manager of diversity & inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu is quoted in this article which mentions Nixon Peabody’s 11th consecutive year of receiving a perfect rating in the Human Rights Campaign’s 15th annual Corporate Equality Index.
  Dec 9, 2016
• Los Angeles Business Journal

  Firm makes courting diversity full-time focus

  Manager of diversity and inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu is featured in this story for her role and the many ways Nixon Peabody has made hiring and retaining diverse attorneys a priority. Los Angeles partner Jill Gordon is also quoted throughout.
  Nov 14, 2016
• Huffington Post

  Transforming a Dinosaur: How the Legal Field is Embracing the Diversity Challenge

  Manager of diversity & inclusion Rekha Chiruvolu, Los Angeles office managing partner Seth Levy and Los Angeles public finance associate Jade Turner-Bond are quoted in this article that highlights Nixon Peabody’s efforts to create an inclusive workplace.
  Sep 1, 2016