(CHARLOTTE, N.C.)—Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP announced today that the firm has appointed Kristi Kessler Walters as its first-ever Chief Talent Officer. Sidney J. Evering II, Special Counsel in the firm’s Columbia office, will take on the role of Director of Diversity, which include duties previously performed by Ms. Walters.
As Chief Talent Officer, Ms. Walters will focus on the firm’s recruiting, retention and professional development efforts for entry-level and lateral attorneys. She will work closely with the Board of Directors, Department Chairs and Practice Group Leaders to develop and integrate systems and programs that impact training, mentoring, career planning and leadership advancement for all attorneys.
“Strengthening and retaining our legal talent plays a vital role in the overall success of the firm and the businesses we represent,” said Bill Farthing, Managing Partner of Parker Poe. “By naming Kristi to the Chief Talent Officer position, our clients will feel the value – hiring the best attorneys leads to the best service and experience for our clients.”
In 2006, Ms. Walters was named the firm’s first Director of Professional Development and Diversity. She has received numerous distinctions in recent years including the Charlotte Business Journal Women in Business Achievement Award, North Carolina Bar Association "Citizen Lawyer,” and Charlotte Business Leader magazine’s Women Extraordinaire.
Under Ms. Walters’ guidance as the Director of Professional Development and Diversity, the firm was the recipient of the 2010 Excellence in Workplace Diversity Award presented by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the South Carolina Diversity Council, and the first-ever Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Belk Innovation in Diversity Award in 2008.
Ms. Walters remains an attorney in the firm’s Employment and Employee Benefits practice group. She earned her JD with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999.
About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has 230 lawyers in six offices located in major markets across North Carolina and South Carolina. The Firm provides legal counsel to commercial and public organizations on corporate, finance, litigation, real estate and regulatory matters. It has been recognized in recent years as one of the fastest growing law firms in the United States and as an award-winning leader in the use of technology to provide clients with improved and more efficient service.