Contact: Mark Fefer, Marketing Communications, 206.757.8583 or markfefer@dwt.com
JUNE 7, 2019 – Portia Moore, a partner in the employment services group at Davis Wright Tremaine, and Vidhya Prabhakaran, chair of the firm’s energy practice group, have been named to the inaugural Nation’s Best list from Lawyers of Color.
The list recognizes law firm partners and senior-level corporate counsel who have noteworthy accomplishments and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Honorees will be recognized at a reception in San Francisco on June 13.
The Nation’s Best list is presented by Major, Lindsey, and Africa, a leading legal executive search firm, and the Diverse Partners Network, in partnership with Lawyers of Color, a nonprofit that studies the intersection of the legal profession and social justice.
Portia focuses her practice on complex litigation, emphasizing defense against wrongful termination and race and sex discrimination claims. She has served as lead counsel in numerous employment discrimination cases, including charges of sexual harassment and retaliation. Earlier in her career, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney and in that role she presented criminal indictments to federal grand juries, conducted jury and bench trials, and argued before the 9th Circuit.
Portia was firmwide chair of Diversity & Inclusion at Davis Wright Tremaine from 2015 to 2018, during which time she spearheaded multiple initiatives that significantly influenced the firm’s culture and its ability to attract and retain lawyers of different backgrounds. She continues to serve on the firm’s Diversity Executive Council. She is also a longtime board member of the Loren Miller Bar Association, the nation’s oldest minority bar and largest organization of African-American attorneys.
Portia has received wide recognition for her career achievements, including being named one of the Most Influential Black Lawyers by Savoy Magazine; being selected to the National Black Lawyers – Top 100 (Washington); being recognized as one of Washington’s “Most Powerful and Influential Women” by the National Diversity Council; and being selected to the Best Lawyers “Women of Influence” list. She has been chosen for the Washington Super Lawyers list by Thomson Reuters each of the last five years.
Vid Prabhakarn leads a team of energy lawyers who assist clients with formulating, presenting, and advocating policy positions on procurement, ratemaking, and safety. He has over a decade of experience directing client successes before California regulatory bodies, such as the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission, and effectively representing clients in the energy, regulated transportation, telecommunications, and water sectors. At the heart of his practice is an understanding of the regulatory complexities posed by California’s transition to economically viable, greener power sources.
Vid has an extensive record of service on behalf of organizations the support the legal, energy, South Asian, and other communities. He has held leadership positions on numerous boards, including those of the Bar Association of San Francisco, BASF’s Justice & Diversity Center, the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California, South Asian Americans Leading Together, and the Minority Bar Coalition of Northern California.
Vid has been widely recognized for professional excellence and his commitment to public service. His honors include: the Mentorship Award from the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California; the Award of Merit from the Bar Association of San Francisco; the Pro Bono Leadership Award from Legal Services for Children; the Unity Award from the Minority Bar Coalition; and the Diversity Award from the Barristers Club at BASF. Chambers USA has listed Vid as one of “America's Leading Lawyers for Business” each of the last four years.
About Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is an AmLaw 100 law firm with more than 550 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.dwt.com/diversity.