Locke Lord, Firm Partner Recognized by CREW

(DALLAS) December 16, 2013 – Locke Lord LLP’s commitment to providing opportunities to women in commercial real estate was recognized Friday afternoon by CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Dallas, which presented the Firm with the Career Advancement for Women Award at its Holiday Awards Luncheon. In addition, Locke Lord Partner Vicky Gunning was honored with CREW’s prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award.

The Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes Gunning’s leadership in commercial real estate in Dallas and her work promoting women in the industry. Gunning - Chair of the Locke Lord's Real Estate Transactions and Finance Section - is an active member of CREW Dallas, having served as its President in 2011.

CREW Dallas selected Locke Lord for its award, based on the Firm’s contributions to the advancement of women in commercial real estate in 2013.

“This recognition for Locke Lord and Vicky reaffirms, doubly, our commitment to hire and promote women at the Firm – to help them succeed and to grow,” said Locke Lord Chair Jerry Clements. “Vicky has been a force in real estate for many years and I know her work with CREW Dallas has done much to promote women in real estate.”

In addition to having one of the few female chairs among large law firms, Locke Lord has implemented important programs especially helpful to female lawyers, specifically a Flexible Work Arrangement policy and the Women’s Initiative. The cutting-edge Flexible Work Arrangement policy allows both Partners and Associates greater freedom in how they balance their obligations to the practice of law with family and other responsibilities and interests. The Women's Initiative is shepherded by a committee whose goals include hiring, promoting and retaining female attorneys; encouraging women to take leadership roles in the Firm; and providing mentoring and networking opportunities. A number of female Partners head the Firm’s practice groups and sit on the Board of Directors.

Gunning – who was also one of four finalists for CREW’s Career Advancement of Women Individual Award – has been a Partner with Locke Lord since 1998. Her practice concentrates on advising owners and developers in negotiating financing and the acquisition, development, leasing, and disposition of commercial real estate, as well as representing financial institutions and other lenders in loan transactions. She is a well- respected real estate attorney in the region, having repeatedly been recognized by Chambers USA.

CREW Dallas is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing the success of women in commercial real estate. These honors are in recognition of elevating the status of women in the industry.

Locke Lord consistently ranks among American Lawyer’s top 100 U.S. law firms. The Firm’s full range of practice and industry areas serve national and international clients from offices in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. It has an excellent reputation in complex litigation, regulatory and transactional work, with its 650-plus attorneys building collaborative relationships and crafting creative solutions – all designed and executed to meet clients’ long-term strategic goals.