Sheppard Mullin’s Olivier Theard Receives Firm’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion Award
LOS ANGELES-- Sheppard Mullin is pleased to announce that Los Angeles partner Olivier Theard has received the firm’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion Award. Theard is the ninth recipient of the award which was created to recognize an individual or team of attorneys in the firm for their commitment to diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives at Sheppard Mullin and in the legal profession. Recipients are selected based on their overall contributions and dedication to advancing the firm's mission in this area. The award was presented at an evening reception in the firm’s Los Angeles office on Wednesday, August 1.
“Olivier is a true leader in diversity and inclusion,” said firm chairman Guy Halgren. “As a founding member and firmwide head of our Diversity & Inclusion Attorney Network, Olivier is tireless in his efforts to ensure that Sheppard Mullin stays focused on making our firm an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to excel. We are extremely grateful for his leadership and his commitment, and we are pleased to be able to recognize his many contributions in this very public and celebratory way.”
Theard added, “I’m honored to join such an amazing group of former recipients of this award. They have all helped make Sheppard Mullin the incredibly diverse and inclusive place it is. I’m also extremely proud of the firm’s commitment to recruiting, retaining and promoting diverse attorneys and staff, and hope I can continue to help keep Sheppard Mullin at the forefront of law firm diversity and inclusion.”
The Diversity & Inclusion award also includes a financial contribution to diversity-related, non-profit organizations selected by the award recipient that seeks to promote and advance diversity and inclusion in law schools and the legal profession. This year’s contribution will go to two organizations at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law: Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and First Generation Professionals.
Theard’s practice focuses on environmental law, including regulatory advice and compliance, due diligence and transactions, administrative hearings and litigation. In addition to his leadership in diversity and inclusion at Sheppard Mullin, Theard is co-chair of the Los Angeles Recruiting Committee, where he is responsible for bringing entry-level lawyers into the firm, managing the summer associate program, and assisting junior associates in their transition to Big Law practice. He received his B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from the University of Southern California.