Two Partners Honored in EMpower’s Ethnic Minority Role Model Lists 2020

EMpower has recognized Boston partner and Executive Committee member BJ Trach and London partner David Ziyambi in its 100 Ethnic Minority Executive List 2020. The award celebrates senior people of color across sectors and industries who are leading by example and removing barriers to success for ethnic minority employees.

Trach represents companies and individuals facing a variety of complex commercial matters, as well as white collar defense and government investigations. Before his election to the firm’s Executive Committee, Trach served as Global Chair of Latham’s Diversity Leadership Committee (DLC), which spearheads the firm’s diversity strategy and initiatives. In that role, Trach led efforts to strengthen the firm’s inclusive culture and support the success of all lawyers, including those who are traditionally underrepresented. During his tenure on the DLC, Latham launched a Diversity Leadership Academy, established eight affinity groups, including three for ethnic minority lawyers, spearheaded a firm-wide Inclusion Initiative to achieve broader engagement, expanded programs to enhance the pipeline of diverse law students, and revamped diversity and inclusion training for all employees.

Ziyambi primarily handles project, structured, and leveraged financing in the energy and infrastructure sectors within both mature and developing markets, particularly throughout Africa. He helped to found and was an inaugural global leader of Latham’s Black Lawyers Group (BLG), which provides a global platform to enable Black lawyers to establish and maintain broader networks; attract, retain and promote Black talent; and foster an inclusive culture supporting the long-term success of Black lawyers. In this role, he jointly established Latham’s unique mentoring families program, and the now biennial BLG global retreat.

EMpower’s annual Ethnic Minority Role Model Lists showcase business leaders who have not only achieved success in their own careers but are actively driving more inclusive workforces for ethnic minorities in the US, Europe, and Canada. An independent panel of judges selected this year’s honorees based on their business achievements and impact on ethnic minority inclusion inside and outside of the workplace. View the full list of honorees here.