Brandon, a Dallas-based litigator with a focus on complex commercial disputes, was named to the 2023 Top 100 Executives list. Born in Nigeria and having moved to the U.S. as a child, Brandon credits her experience navigating different cultures as key to her personal and professional success. At Reed Smith Brandon is chair of the African American business inclusion group, STAARS, and founder and chair of the STAARS Associate Academy. She also co-chairs the Dallas office’s Women’s Initiative Network (WINRS). In the community, Brandon is a member of Founding Donors for Endowment through The University of Texas Law School Foundation Historic Black Colleges and Universities Scholarship Fund, a founding member of the Network of Empowered Women, and an advisory committee member of the Dallas chapter of 50/50 Women on Boards. Through these leadership roles, she develops effective, high-impact strategies, policies and practices for attracting and nurturing diverse talent.

López, a Princeton-based litigator in the firm’s Life Sciences Health Industry Group, was named to the 2023 Top 100 Executives list. López, who was born in Guatemala, leverages her experiences as an immigrant child of blue-collar parents to drive her passion for inclusivity. López is chair of the firm’s business inclusion group supporting Hispanic/Latinx talent, UNIDOS; a key member of the Princeton office’s Recruiting and Diversity Committees; and a participant in Reed Smith’s DEI Reciprocal Mentor Pairing Program. She also serves as national finance director for the Hispanic National Bar Association, leading fundraising efforts to implement national initiatives for Hispanic/Latinx attorneys and law students, the community at large, and its strategic partners. López is also a past president of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, where she established a law student scholarship endowment. In each of these roles, López strives to foster change in the legal industry, making sure that everyone has a voice. For her leadership and work, she has been recognized as one of the top-50 influential attorneys and as one of the most impactful people of color in New Jersey.

Grant, a London-based associate in the firm’s Financial Industry Group, was named to the 2023 Top 100 Future Leaders list. Grant serves as co-chair of Reed Smith’s Multicultural Network, one of the firm’s business inclusion groups that supports and leads BAME initiatives. Grant is also committee secretary for NOTICED, the UK’s first inter-firm diversity network which works to make the legal sector truly representative, inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of ethnic background. She was shortlisted recently for the ‘Diversity Champion of the Year’ category at the Burberry British Diversity Awards 2023, for her efforts in promoting diversity in the legal sector.

INvolve is a global network and consultancy championing diversity and inclusion in business, showcasing business leaders who are breaking down barriers at work and working hard to smash the ceiling for ethnic minorities in the UK, Ireland, Europe, and people of color in the United States and Canada.

EMpower 100 Senior Executives nominees are ethnic, senior influencers, and actively working to create an environment where ethnic minority employees can comfortably bring their best professional selves to work.

EMpower 100 Future Leaders are high performing and high potential individuals at various levels in their careers, with an emphasis on their work on behalf of ethnic minority inclusion.

EMpower’s judging panel includes leaders in finance, consulting, media, and advertising. Each person was scored on the influence of their role, their impact on ethnic minority inclusion inside and outside the workplace and their business achievements.