Andrews Kurth Partners Honored by Texas Diversity Council

HOUSTON – Three partners from the Houston office of Andrews Kurth LLP were recently honored for their efforts to promote diversity in the legal and business communities.

The Texas Diversity Council presented Howard Ayers with the Glass Ceiling Award, Elizabeth A. Campbell with the Legal Diversity Award and Doris Rodríguez with the DiversityFirst™ award. The awards were presented during the Texas Diversity and Leadership Conference, held in Houston on May 15-16, 2008.

Ayers was one of the six inaugural recipients of the Glass Ceiling Award, which recognizes business leaders who have promoted and supported the achievements of diverse employees, allowing them to break through the proverbial “glass ceiling.”

Campbell was one of four legal professionals who earned the Legal Diversity Award, which recognizes individual commitments to promoting diversity, inclusion and cultural understanding within the legal profession.

Rodríguez was among the five recipients of the DiversityFirst award, which recognizes business leaders across the state for their individual achievements and commitment to diversity. This marks the second DiversityFirst award presented to an Andrews Kurth partner. Houston partner Gene Locke earned the award in 2007.

“I am so pleased that the Texas Diversity Council recognized Howard, Doris and Elizabeth,” says Andrews Kurth Managing Partner Bob Jewell. “Their hard work and dedication have helped make Andrews Kurth a national leader in diversity practices, and we are thrilled that they have been honored for their efforts.”

During Ayers’ tenure as Managing Partner, he spearheaded the creation of the firm’s biennial Executive Women’s Retreats, the establishment of the Women’s Initiative Team and hiring of a full-time Partner and Chief Diversity Officer. He also co-chaired the Houston Bar Association’s Gender Fairness Committee in 2006 and 2007. As the firm’s current Chairman, he serves on the firm’s Executive Committee, remains a co-chair of the Women’s Initiative Team and serves on the firm’s Diversity Committee.

As a Partner and the firm’s Chief Diversity Officer, Campbell oversees the diversity and inclusion strategies for Andrews Kurth on a full-time basis. She currently serves on the board of directors of the National Diversity Council and is a member of the Executive Women's Partnership Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership.

Rodríguez is a partner in the firm’s Business Transactions practice and is one of the first Hispanic female partners at a major Houston law firm. She currently serves as co-chair of the Houston Bar Association’s Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee and sits on the board of the Texas Diversity Council.

The Texas Diversity Council is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering a learning environment for organizations and companies to grow their knowledge of diversity. The organization provides a platform for organizations to learn from top corporate leaders in the area of diversity and inclusion.

For more than a century, Andrews Kurth has built its practice on the belief that “straight talk is good business.” Real answers, clear vision and mutual respect define the firm’s relationships with clients, colleagues, communities and employees. With more than 400 lawyers and offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, The Woodlands and Washington, DC, Andrews Kurth represents a wide array of clients in all areas of business law. For more information about Andrews Kurth, please visit andrewskurth.com.