1st Year, Master of Religious Leadership Student, partner with and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP

In this episode, Yendelela candidly shares her experiences as a successful lawyer, advocate, and mother. She highlights the importance of balancing our purpose with achieving fulfillment in both our personal and professional lives.

About Yendelela

Yendelela Neely Holston is a partner with and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP (“Kilpatrick Townsend”).  In her role as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Yendelela is responsible for overseeing, implementing and providing strategic leadership related to Kilpatrick Townsend’s diversity initiatives.  As a practicing attorney, Yendelela concentrates her practice on employment counseling, litigation and defense strategy, with particular emphasis on discrimination and wage and hour class and collective actions.   

Prior to returning to Kilpatrick Townsend in September 2018 (she previously worked at the Firm from 2006 until 2015), Yendelelawas an Assistant Vice President-Senior Legal Counsel at AT&T Services, Inc. where she developed strategy and managed outside counsel in class/collective action litigation involving employment matters against AT&T-related entities.  Yendelelaalso worked proactively with her business clients to determine ways to meet the needs of the business while avoiding practices that have previously resulted in litigation.    

Yendelela’s passion for the law is rivaled only by her commitment to the community.  She is a longstanding member of the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, where she currently serves as President and sits on the Executive Committee.  Yendelela is also a member of the Furman University Board of Trustees and is a member of Agape Youth & Family Center’s Board of Directors.  Yendelela recently concluded terms with the Board of Directors for Families First and the National Board and Atlanta Advisory Board (where she was Chair) for Jumpstart, a national early education organization.  In addition, Yendelela is an active member of Impact United Methodist Church.  

Yendelela is a magna cum laude graduate of Furman University and a cum laude graduate of Duke University School of Law.  Yendelela is also a proud member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2020 and the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2013.  She was recently recognized as a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion (2022) with Corporate Counsel’s Women, Influence & Power in Law awards.  In addition, she was named as Chambers & Partners 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Lawyer of the Year and Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of the Year.  Yendelela has also been recognized on the Lawyers of Color’s Nations Best List (2019), as the Atlanta Business Chronicles’ Community Champion (2018), as one of Atlanta Business Chronicles’ 40 under 40 (2015), as a National Bar Association Trailblazer Under 40 (2014), and in the Daily Report on the Rise Class of 2014.