Katie Hood and Katherine Carey Join LCLD Fellows and Pathfinder Programs

Katie Hood, partner in the Gulfport office and a member of the Litigation Practice, and Katherine Carey, attorney in the Atlanta office and member of the Litigation Practice, will join the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity(LCLD) training programs to advance the next generation of leaders. 

Katie joins the Fellows Program, which is designed for diverse mid-career attorneys who have demonstrated potential for success in the legal sector. The program offers opportunities for professional growth, personal development and leadership skills. 

Katherine joins the Pathfinder Program, an initiative tailored for early-career attorneys who have demonstrated high-potential in the legal field. This program offers foundational leadership and relationship-building resources throughout a seven-month professional development program.  

LCLD is an organization of over 400 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners committed to creating an environment where all talent has the opportunity to thrive. LCLD’s programs aim to attract, inspire, and nurture talent in society and within our organizations, thereby helping a new and more diverse generation of attorneys ascend to positions of leadership. 

Over the past three years, Balch’s Katie Kimbrell, David Duhè and Tashwanda Pinchback Dixon completed the LCLD Fellows program and Ian Burt, Christina Nuñez and Irving Jones completed the Pathfinders program.

“I am excited for Katie and Katherine to join their respective LCLD programs,” Ian said. “The LCLD Pathfinders Program was an enriching opportunity for my practice and career as a young attorney. Through the program, I connected with other diverse attorneys in my Pathfinders class – some of whom I work with on a weekly basis in law practice.”

Katie represents clients on a wide variety of matters ranging from general business advice to complex litigation. A large percentage of her practice is focused on contract negotiation, business litigation, environmental litigation, and personal injury disputes. Katie regularly represents both governmental agencies and private sector clients, and serves as outside general counsel for various entities across the nation. She has been named in The Best Lawyers in America’s Ones to Watch list. 

Katherine focuses her practice on civil litigation, advising and representing clients in matters involving complex commercial litigation, property disputes, personal injury and wrongful death, and intellectual property. As a former judicial extern for federal and state judges, Katherine looks forward to using her experience to work with clients and colleagues and provide tailored solutions for each matter throughout every stage of litigation. 

In 2024, Balch was named a 2024 Compass Award recipient by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) for the third consecutive year, recognizing the firm’s unwavering commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the legal profession.