Mariyam Harunah has won both the Diversity and Inclusion and Leader of the Year Awards at TheBusinessDesk.com West Midlands Leadership Awards. The awards, held at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham last night, celebrate people who are role models within their organisations.
Ms. Harunah, a senior associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice, has played an instrumental role in the launch and embedding of a new Race Action Plan within the firm. She has co-created an Employee Resource Group for black trainees, lawyers, paralegals and staff across the UK offices and contributed to the firm's Social Mobility Resource Group, not only acting as a mentor, but also collaborating with colleagues on a number of initiatives, such as the immensely successful launch of an Inspiring Boys in Law event for secondary school students, which took place in London earlier this year, and was spearheaded by Keshinda Gage.
Not content with leading change within Squire Patton Boggs alone, Ms. Harunah has also utilised her position as a Birmingham Law Society (BLS) Council Member and Joint Honorary Secretary to help propel change in the wider profession. She is a member of the BLS Race Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Committee, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Social Mobility Committee and has worked on a number of different initiatives designed to improve diversity in the law.
TheBusinessDesk.com’s Midlands editor, Sam Metcalf, said: “Our shortlisted individuals tonight have demonstrated how vitally important strong, forward-thinking leadership is. Congratulations to Mariyam, and all our winners and shortlisted individuals.”
Office managing partner Charlie Frost added: “Mariyam is a true leader and has achieved so much in driving the diversity agenda both within our firm and the wider profession. She is a credit to the firm and we are all very proud of her.”