Technology

Shook Launches DEI Advisory Practice

Published

7 months ago

February 20, 2024

Shook introduces a new client offering under the leadership of Partner John Lewis, Jr. formerly of The Coca-Cola Company. Lewis served as the former global head of litigation and diversity and workplace fairness. Lewis will lead the array of litigation and investigation services under the Shook DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice.

ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Shook, Hardy & Bacon announces the launch of its newly formed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice (CCDP) to assist with the interdisciplinary legal risks faced by companies in a modern workplace.

The CCDP is a natural evolution of Shook’s decades-long commitment to build its own inclusive workplace and leverage inclusion strategy as a marketplace differentiator.

Shook’s CCDP is led by Houston Managing Partner John Lewis, Jr., who also serves as the firm’s chair of DEI Initiatives and Strategy. Before joining Shook, Lewis held increasing roles of responsibility for The Coca-Cola Company, including as Coca-Cola’s chief litigation counsel where he lead teams in shareholder, securities and related governance litigation and investigations. While at Coca-Cola legal, he founded and led Coke’s Legal Division Diversity Council which created outside counsel assessments, a supplier diversity initiative partnering with minority- and women-owned law firms, and deepened pipeline and affinity partnerships. Following a decade in Coke legal, Lewis was appointed as the company’s global head of diversity and workplace fairness where he had board level accountability for all aspects of inclusion and workplace fairness strategy.

Listen to Lewis discuss workplace issues in a short podcast with Shook Chair Madeleine McDonough.

In recent years, DEI-related risks have changed. Once a dialogue predominately about culture, human resources initiatives, community engagements and programs, organizations who seek to advance their inclusion goals now face the potential for novel legal challenges, emergent business risks and heightened scrutiny from investors, governmental entities, activists and DEI opponents.

“Shook lawyers have trained, audited, defended and advised global clients and organizations on DEI-related matters over many years,” said Lewis. “Our DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice is a natural evolution of our longstanding commitment to inclusion and fairness.”

According to Lewis, DEI also informs strategy in more traditional human capital work streams including training, recruitment, leadership development, philanthropy, equity scans, community engagement and workplace fairness. DEI efforts are crucial to retaining talent, gaining market share, and attracting a diverse cross-section of investors in ever-evolving, highly competitive national and global markets.

“Our DEI Counseling Practice is also shaped by the award-winning initiatives for which Shook and its lawyers have been nationally recognized,” said Shook Chair Madeleine McDonough. “Among other avenues for advancing diversity and inclusion, we have a dedicated civil rights practice led by a former assistant district attorney with over a decade of jury trial experience in civil rights and police misconduct cases.”

In addition to Lewis, the practice includes Public Policy Co-Chair Phil Goldberg, who served as a litigation communications specialist at two leading public relations firms and communications director for three members of Congress, as well as ESG Co-Chair Veronica Gromada, who previously managed the legal, policy and business aspects of bellwether employment class action litigation while working in-house at one of the world’s largest retailers. They are joined by Senior Counsel Michael Harrison, who heads up the firm’s civil rights and racial justice pro bono practice and Partner William Martucci who leads Shook’s national Employment Litigation and Policy Practice as well as Employment Litigation Partner Carrie McAtee.

Collectively, the group has led board-directed investigations domestically and abroad. They have advised some of the largest companies in the world on public policy matters, communications strategy and related advocacy, and have trained scores of clients on topics including unconscious bias, avoiding DEI-related litigation risks, and leading culturally-sensitive investigations.

About Shook, Hardy & Bacon

Founded in 1889, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 19 offices in the United States and London, with attorneys and professional staff serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in areas ranging from product liability defense and business litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation, environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and regulatory counseling.

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SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.

Technology

The Ar-King of Spirits: Ed Arking’s Impact on the Liquor Industry

Published

6 mins ago

September 21, 2024

In the interest of providing luxury liquors in a convenient and stress-free format, Served Neat was born. When asked about his intentions for the company, Ed states, “My goal with Served Neat is to create a one-stop shop where customers can easily discover these rare gems.”

MOORESTOWN, N.J., Sept. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Served Neat is an emerging online platform with a curated selection of some of the world’s most popular luxury spirits. The website offers daily flash deals that highlight a variety of high-end international brands including Pappy Van Winkle, Buffalo Trace, Clase Azul, and more.

“While there are websites selling spirits, none have the decades of experience that we bring from WTSO. Served Neat will offer not only incredible bottles but also the best customer service in the industry.”

Ed and Joe Arking, the father-son team behind the concept of Served Neat, have decades of experience hand-selecting and supplying sought-after liquors. Ed Arking, CEO of New Jersey’s Roger Wilco, grew up in the world of wine and spirits and formed his own business aspirations.

“Growing up, I watched my father navigate and succeed in the ever-evolving wine and spirits industry,” Ed explains. “While I always aspired to create something similar, I knew I needed to wait for the right moment.” Ed has gone on to manage his own liquor store and lead projects for up-and-coming brands, such as the vodka-infused and non-carbonated Smooth Water.

As he evolved in his career, Ed discovered the perfect time to make his lifelong vision a reality. He recalls, “I noticed a gap in the market—especially for whiskey and tequila. These categories have surged in popularity, making it difficult for the everyday consumer to find those elusive sought-after allocated bottles.”

When it comes to Served Neat, quality and knowledge is key. Ed adds, “While there are websites selling spirits, none have the decades of experience that we bring from WTSO. Served Neat will offer not only incredible bottles but also the best customer service in the industry.”

Served Neat is the sister company to WTSO and The Wine Market, two online platforms dedicated to sourcing and distributing top-notch wines from every corner of the globe.

At The Wine Market, an online marketplace for the world’s most popular wine brands, convenience and quality are key. Each bottle in their curated collection is a testament to exceptional flavor and craftsmanship.

Since 2006, WTSO has enjoyed creating a unique wine experience and sharing it with new beginners and seasoned connoisseurs alike. Using an extensive network of wineries and wine makers, WTSO connects customers to thousands of brands from top wine appellations around the globe. The strong relationships they’ve formed within the wine world allow the business to deliver authentic and high-quality bottles to homes across the United States.

Wine and spirits lovers alike are invited to explore Served Neat, WTSO, and The Wine Market to find their next favorite bottle. Visit their websites to learn more about these one-of-a-kind online marketplaces!

Media Contact

Julie Blount, WTSO, 1 8669572795, marketing@wtso.com

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SOURCE WTSO

Technology

Compete for $150K Prizes: Join Spatial Joy 2024 The Global AR Application Development Championship

Published

1 hour ago

September 21, 2024

HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Spatial Joy 2024 The Global AR Application Development Championship is now open for registration! Organized by Rokid, a global leader in human-computer interaction through augmented reality, this championship invites AR developers globally to harness voice, gesture, and visual AI technologies to create groundbreaking AR experiences. Powered by the self-developed YodaOS-Master operating system, Rokid AR glasses deliver exceptional spatial computing performance.

What is Spatial Joy 2024 about？
In September 2022, Rokid kicked off its first AR Application Development Championship. The second championship, held last year in collaboration with Unity and Agora, quickly established itself as the largest AR application development event in China. As Rokid celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, we are excited to present “Spatial Joy,” our newly branded global championship, open to developers worldwide for the first time, and positioned as the flagship event in the AR industry.

Why join Spatial Joy 2024?

Compete for a $150,000 prize poolFree access to Rokid AR Lite or Rokid AR studioDiscounted rates on purchasing Rokid productsFree participationTechnical support from Unity and AgoraInternational exposure within the AR industryOpportunity to attend the award ceremony in China

Who can participant?
The championship is open to global AR developers of all levels, including students, independent developers, teams, and professionals across sectors such as healthcare, retail, education, gaming, entertainment, lifestyle, and more.

How to register?
Detailed registration guidelines and requirements are available online at [https://t.rokid.com/iwvwcxkn]. Developers can register and submit their projects through Rokid official website at [www.global.rokid.com].

Spatial Joy 2024 Timeline:

Registration Deadline: October 16, 2024Final Project Submission Deadline: November 15, 2024Finalists Announcement: December 27, 2024Award Ceremony: January 11, 2025

About Organizer
Rokid has expanded its global presence, making notable progress in key markets across North America, Europe, and Asia, including a successful campaign on Kickstarter. With a decade of expertise, Rokid has revolutionized AR technology, transforming how users interact with both digital and physical environments.

Join us in shaping the future of AR with Rokid – enter Spatial Joy 2024 The Global AR Application Development Championship Now!

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SOURCE Rokid

Technology

Summit of Whose Future? Girls Have the Answers: Leaders Must Listen

Published

3 hours ago

September 21, 2024

Young Women Activists Launch “What Girls Want,” Demand World Leaders Put Girls at the Center of Summit of the Future

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today in New York, more than 50 young women from around the world – including Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai – gathered to take government to task for failing to prioritize girls and young women in the upcoming Summit of the Future. The group is backed by acoalition of girl-centered non-profit organizations, institutions, and funds who synthesized the demands of girls at www.whatgirlswant.com.

At a demonstration near the UN, alongside life-size cutouts of world leaders dressed ironically as “girl experts”, the activists delivered a strong message: world leaders aren’t the experts on what girls want for their futures – girls are.

Eylül Erçin, 19, from Türkiye, shared: “The time has passed for girls and young women to be treated as mere afterthoughts. Leaders must include us in the foundational design of these processes, ensuring that our priorities are integrated into shaping the future we will inherit. Anything less is unacceptable.”

Today’s event is about more than calling out a process failure. Girls i from around the world delivered a forward-looking call to action this week. They expect governments, institutions, and community leaders to step up and help shape a more equitable future.

Alongside fellow activists, Malala said: “Even at 27, I know better than to assume I understand best what girls want. Everywhere I go, girls are eager to share their vision for their futures. As adults, it is our job to listen, fund their work and follow their lead. It is not too late for world leaders to do right by girls. They can start by prioritizing their demands in tomorrow’s final Summit deliberations and by investing resources to match their words.”

The evidence is clear: investing in girls and delivering on their rights transforms economies, societies, and the environment, advancing the SDGs and building a future that girls deserve.

About What Girls Want

This effort was produced by a collaboration of girl-centered organizations, institutions, funders, and allies. The campaign is anchored around work to collate insights, data, and stories from 20+ public consultations with girls and young women over the past decade, driven by a shared desire to center girls’ demands in spaces where they are being ignored.

Contact:

whatgirlswantpress@gmail.com

nate.powers@edelman.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2384993/Women_Deliver_Logo.jpg

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