Locke Lord’s Ernesto Palomo and Julie Webb Named 2023 Notable Leaders in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Honorees by Crain’s Chicago Business

Chicago Partners Ernesto Palomo and Julie Webb have been named by Crain’s Chicago Business as 2023 Notable Leaders in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, recognizing the significant impact both have made advancing diversity and inclusion in the Chicago community.

This marks the third consecutive year that Palomo was honored by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Leader in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Palomo’s long-standing leadership on diversity and inclusion issues has informed and enabled the expansion of Locke Lord’s diversity and inclusion education efforts, including mandatory, Firm-wide diversity and inclusion training that emphasizes identifying and interrupting bias. As former Co-Chair and a current member of Locke Lord’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, he has co-led activities focusing on recruitment, retention, equal advancement opportunities, and initiatives supporting equal justice and civil rights organizations. Palomo serves on the Board of Directors for numerous organizations, including The Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Just the Beginning—A Pipeline Organization and the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic. He is a former Board Member of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, past Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow (LCLD) and an active member of the Hispanic National Bar Association.

In his practice, Palomo has devoted considerable time to pro bono matters through the National Immigrant Justice Center, Center for Disability and Elder Law and Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. He has extensive experience representing large multinational companies in court and commercial arbitration proceedings around the country.

Webb has been a tireless advocate for the rights and privileges of LGBTQ+ individuals both at Locke Lord, where she currently serves as Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and in the broader legal community. She has spearheaded the Firm’s involvement in the National LGBT Bar Association’s Lavender Law Career Fair, which is designed to achieve a sense of community and inclusion for LGBTQ+ candidates in legal recruiting efforts. Through Webb’s involvement in setting Locke Lord’s diversity and inclusion policies, she has helped the Firm achieve a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for six years, earning the distinction of being an employer of choice for LGBTQ+ employees. For the past three years, Webb has served as an appointed member of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, which leads its work on equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ persons in the ABA, legal profession and society. Webb was chosen as Locke Lord’s 2020 LCLD Fellow, is Vice Chair of the ABA Antitrust Section’s Books & Treatises Committee, and was recently Co-Chair of its Civil Practice & Procedure Committee.

Webb represents financial institutions and other corporate clients in class actions and other complex litigation throughout the country. She is experienced in all aspects of the litigation process, including early settlement opportunities, motion practice, discovery, trial and appeals.

Read the Crain’s Chicago Business profiles on Palomo and Webb (subscription may be required).