HOUSTON – March 15, 2022 – Two LyondellBasell attorneys, Brittany Ringel Walton and Will Wilder, have been named to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) class of 2022 Fellows. Walton and Wilder join a distinguished group of 426 peers from across the U.S. participating in a yearlong professional development program for the legal industry’s diverse leaders of tomorrow. Designed for lawyers with eight to 15 years of experience, the highly sought-after program connects high-potential attorneys with leading general counsel and managing partners, as well as peers, for mentoring and career guidance.
“Brittany and Will are exceptionally talented individuals recognized as emerging leaders within our organization,” said Jeff Kaplan, LyondellBasell executive vice president and chief legal officer. “This remarkable opportunity will only deepen the strong leadership skills they’ve acquired throughout their career. The LCLD program aligns with our company’s commitment to invest in our most valuable asset – our employees – as well as our efforts to build a solid pipeline of diverse future leaders across our global workforce.”
Fellows are selected by the general counsel and managing partners at LCLD member corporations and law firms. As part of the program, Walton and Wilder will participate in virtual and in-person class meetings, with opportunities to interact with key legal and business leaders of large U.S. corporations. Additionally, they will attend leadership lunches featuring a managing partner or general counsel, hosted by LCLD member organizations.
LCLD President Robert J. Grey Jr. added that, while the LCLD Fellows program “requires a serious time commitment from its participants, they will come away from it having learned from top leaders in the legal profession, as well as experts in the fields of learning and development and executive coaching, on what it means to be a leader.”
“I am excited to connect with the Fellows, participate in the LCLD program, learn how to build a more open and diverse legal community,” said Ringel. “I’ve heard that LCLD Fellows classes have built impactful and ongoing relationships and are exposed to high-impact professional development opportunities.”
Within their organizations, Fellows have distinguished themselves from others by being deeply engaged, indispensable to key clients and teams, invested in attorney mentoring and professional development, and on a trajectory towards leadership positions.
“Through the connections and knowledge that I gain from LCLD, I hope to both advance LyondellBasell’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives, and actively advance these issues in the legal community as a whole,” said Wilder.
Celebrating 11 years, the LCLD Fellows program has built a reputation for helping to launch participants into chief legal positions. Learn more about LCLD here.
More information about Walton and Wilder
Brittany Ringel Walton is Lead Litigation Counsel for LyondellBasell in the Houston, Texas office. Brittany is a 12th year litigator, former Houston Young Lawyers Association president, mom of three under five, and former UCLA volleyball and basketball player. Prior to joining LyondellBasell, Brittany served as commercial counsel for Siemens Energy, Inc. and a litigator at Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, LLP.
Will Wilder serves as Senior Counsel, Compensation and Benefits, for LyondellBasell in the Houston, Texas office, where he advises on Total Rewards matters (including providing day-to-day counsel on the Company’s employee benefits, executive compensation and equity program matters). Prior to joining LyondellBasell, Will spent 13 years advising on employee benefits issues in law firms in Chicago and Washington, DC. Will has previously served as Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Employee Benefits Committee, Chair of the National Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and was a member of a past firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.