Lowenstein Sandler, as part of its close collaboration with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), has selected Raji Kochhar and Claudia Lorenzo to participate in the organization’s prestigious pipeline programs in 2022.
Kochhar, a New York-based counsel in the firm’s Investment Management group, will represent Lowenstein in the LCLD Fellows Program, a landmark initiative designed for underrepresented, high-performing, mid-career attorneys at LCLD member organizations. The goal of this program is to provide Fellows with professional and personal development opportunities, leadership training, relationship-building opportunities, and access to LCLD members (including managing partners and general counsel).
Kochhar’s practice focuses on advising funds in the negotiation of a broad array of commercial agreements, with a particular concentration on investment banking and financial advisor engagements as well as vendor and licensing agreements. With extensive experience advising venture capital funds, startups, and investor groups with respect to financings, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate matters, Kochhar also counsels on diligence issues surrounding the purchase and use of alternative data. She is a member of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Network Committee, and her pro bono work includes volunteering with Election Protection.
Lorenzo, a New Jersey-based associate in the firm’s Litigation department, will be a member of the 2022 class of LCLD Pathfinders, a program designed for underrepresented, high performing attorneys at LCLD member organizations. This program aims to equip participants with practical tools for developing and leveraging internal professional networks through relationship-building and foundational leadership skills, along with an understanding of career development strategies applicable to both in-house and law firm practice.
Lorenzo represents public and private companies in complex commercial litigation matters, including breach of contract, business divorce, and bankruptcy disputes in federal and state court. She also represents individuals in arbitrations, and in investigations undertaken by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Lorenzo maintains a deep commitment to the firm’s pro bono program through her work on civil rights and immigration matters; one of the highlights of this work was being a member of the team that secured federal court relief on behalf of youths wrongly disqualified from Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
“Lowenstein values our long standing relationship with LCLD,” says Gary M. Wingens, Lowenstein’s Chair and Managing Partner. “Its programs not only provide valuable training for the attorneys who participate, but they profoundly influence the culture of our entire firm. Collaboration with LCLD is emblematic of our commitment to an environment that welcomes and encourages diversity.”
Wingens is one of an impressive roster of law firm leaders who have published their LCLD pledge to promote diversity within their organization. His pledge includes personal promises to, in part, “engage with partners in leadership positions within the firm about the importance of their personal support for our firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, [and] mentor an underrepresented student through the Thrive Scholars legal talent pipeline development program.”
Founded in 2009, LCLD is a growing organization of more than 350 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are personally committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive legal profession.
Last year, Lowenstein selected Chandra K. Shih, a Palo Alto-based partner in the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (fka, The Tech Group) and a member of the Seed Stage Investing & Startups and Venture Capital & Tech M&A practices, to participate in the Fellows Program; and Nick Samedi, New Jersey- and New York-based partner in the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate groups, in the Pathfinders program.
Lowenstein also participates in LCLD’s 1L LCLD’s Scholars Program, which provides diverse first-year law students with valuable professional experiences, while introducing them to the value of relationships and network-building.
In 2021, the firm received for the third year in a row a LCLD Compass Award in recognition of its steadfast commitment to building more diverse organizations and a more inclusive legal profession. The award is based upon Lowenstein’s fulfillment of all of LCLD’s requirements, including the submission of a leader’s pledge, participation in the LCLD Fellows and Pathfinder Programs, and participation in an LCLD Pipeline program.
About Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Lowenstein Sandler LLP is a national law firm with over 350 lawyers based in New York, Palo Alto, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, D.C. The firm represents leaders in virtually every sector of the global economy, with particular emphasis on investment funds, life sciences, and technology. Recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and high standard of client service, the firm is committed to the interests of its clients, colleagues, and communities.
