Technology

Shook Launches DEI Advisory Practice

Published

3 years ago

February 20, 2024

Shook introduces a new client offering under the leadership of Partner John Lewis, Jr. formerly of The Coca-Cola Company. Lewis served as the former global head of litigation and diversity and workplace fairness. Lewis will lead the array of litigation and investigation services under the Shook DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice.

ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Shook, Hardy & Bacon announces the launch of its newly formed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice (CCDP) to assist with the interdisciplinary legal risks faced by companies in a modern workplace.

The CCDP is a natural evolution of Shook’s decades-long commitment to build its own inclusive workplace and leverage inclusion strategy as a marketplace differentiator.

Shook’s CCDP is led by Houston Managing Partner John Lewis, Jr., who also serves as the firm’s chair of DEI Initiatives and Strategy. Before joining Shook, Lewis held increasing roles of responsibility for The Coca-Cola Company, including as Coca-Cola’s chief litigation counsel where he lead teams in shareholder, securities and related governance litigation and investigations. While at Coca-Cola legal, he founded and led Coke’s Legal Division Diversity Council which created outside counsel assessments, a supplier diversity initiative partnering with minority- and women-owned law firms, and deepened pipeline and affinity partnerships. Following a decade in Coke legal, Lewis was appointed as the company’s global head of diversity and workplace fairness where he had board level accountability for all aspects of inclusion and workplace fairness strategy.

Listen to Lewis discuss workplace issues in a short podcast with Shook Chair Madeleine McDonough.

In recent years, DEI-related risks have changed. Once a dialogue predominately about culture, human resources initiatives, community engagements and programs, organizations who seek to advance their inclusion goals now face the potential for novel legal challenges, emergent business risks and heightened scrutiny from investors, governmental entities, activists and DEI opponents.

“Shook lawyers have trained, audited, defended and advised global clients and organizations on DEI-related matters over many years,” said Lewis. “Our DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice is a natural evolution of our longstanding commitment to inclusion and fairness.”

According to Lewis, DEI also informs strategy in more traditional human capital work streams including training, recruitment, leadership development, philanthropy, equity scans, community engagement and workplace fairness. DEI efforts are crucial to retaining talent, gaining market share, and attracting a diverse cross-section of investors in ever-evolving, highly competitive national and global markets.

“Our DEI Counseling Practice is also shaped by the award-winning initiatives for which Shook and its lawyers have been nationally recognized,” said Shook Chair Madeleine McDonough. “Among other avenues for advancing diversity and inclusion, we have a dedicated civil rights practice led by a former assistant district attorney with over a decade of jury trial experience in civil rights and police misconduct cases.”

In addition to Lewis, the practice includes Public Policy Co-Chair Phil Goldberg, who served as a litigation communications specialist at two leading public relations firms and communications director for three members of Congress, as well as ESG Co-Chair Veronica Gromada, who previously managed the legal, policy and business aspects of bellwether employment class action litigation while working in-house at one of the world’s largest retailers. They are joined by Senior Counsel Michael Harrison, who heads up the firm’s civil rights and racial justice pro bono practice and Partner William Martucci who leads Shook’s national Employment Litigation and Policy Practice as well as Employment Litigation Partner Carrie McAtee.

Collectively, the group has led board-directed investigations domestically and abroad. They have advised some of the largest companies in the world on public policy matters, communications strategy and related advocacy, and have trained scores of clients on topics including unconscious bias, avoiding DEI-related litigation risks, and leading culturally-sensitive investigations.

About Shook, Hardy & Bacon

Founded in 1889, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 19 offices in the United States and London, with attorneys and professional staff serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in areas ranging from product liability defense and business litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation, environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and regulatory counseling.

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SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.

Technology

America’s Largest Political Group Is Getting Its Own Election Night

Published

33 minutes ago

October 26, 2026

A record 45% of Americans identify with neither party. On November 3, they get the first nationally televised Election Night built around the independent voter bloc, presented by United Independents, the organization behind the Independent National Convention, in partnership with DeFiance Media.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Can the country’s largest bloc of voters turn identity into representation? Independents now make up 45% of U.S. adults, a record high in Gallup’s 2025 data, yet partisan coverage continues to dominate mainstream mediums. On November 3, one broadcast will cover the election from the Independent point of view.

Broadcast live from the National Press Club’s television studio in Washington, D.C. Election Night 2026: Independent Edition is an eight-hour program hosted by Christopher Life, founder and CEO of United Independents, and Macy Gunnell, NewsForce’s White House correspondent. DeFiance Media will be producing and streaming the broadcast.

Built on live election data from The Associated Press (AP), the program will call the national races as the returns come in. Then it goes where other broadcasts don’t: race-by-race coverage of independent candidates in consequential congressional contests, and guest conversations with the strategists and organizers behind them.

Built for the Voters Both Parties Are Chasing

Two generations of Americans have come of age as independent voters, and in 74 years of nationally televised Election Night broadcasts, not one has been built around them. This one is: national results and the balance of power, dedicated coverage of the independent candidates who could tip the next Congress, and a live chat with selected viewer questions put to the hosts and guests on air.

Open to Every Newsroom

Television pool feed. U.S. television outlets, including local stations, can carry the program live, in full or in part, separate from DeFiance Media’s full-program streaming.Social streaming. The broadcast streams through participating social media partners. Channels that want to carry it can sign up at Election2026.live.Live clips and excerpts. Newsrooms, commentators, and creators can pull portions of the program for reporting and social distribution while the broadcast is underway.

Request access through the Media & Distribution Access Form at Election2026.live.

Free and Accessible Nationwide

Going live Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, from 6 PM- 2 AM ET. Updates, guest announcements, and viewing instructions: Election2026.live.

Media Contact

Shaun Saunders
shaun@graffiticreativegroup.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-largest-political-group-is-getting-its-own-election-night-302919753.html

SOURCE DeFiance Media

Technology

Pianist Michael Weinstein Wins Best Social Media Music Collaborations at the 2026 Vega Awards

Published

33 minutes ago

October 26, 2026

With more than a million followers across social media, Weinstein’s piano collaborations bring together vocalists from around the world to create unique musical performances and reach new audiences.

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Pianist, entrepreneur and social media creator Michael Weinstein has been recognized at the 2026 Vega Digital Awards in the Social Media Collaboration category for his music collaboration series, Piano Sessions: Bringing Voices Together Through Music.

“I love collaborating with talented singers including building friendships that have become just as meaningful as the music itself.”

Weinstein has built a social media audience of more than a million followers across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms by sharing piano performances and collaborations with singers from around the world. His videos feature vocalists performing alongside his piano accompaniment, creating intimate musical performances that showcase each artist’s individual talent and style.

While Weinstein has spent much of his professional career building businesses and marketing consumer brands, music has always remained one of his greatest passions.

“Music has always been a huge part of my life and one of the things I enjoy most is collaborating with other musicians,” said Weinstein. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many incredibly talented singers and I love being able to play alongside them and create something special together. It’s also rewarding to introduce these artists to new audiences while building relationships and friendships that have become just as meaningful as the music itself.”

An accomplished pianist and keyboardist, Weinstein has collaborated with an impressive range of vocalists, including artists who have performed and recorded with Maroon 5, Sting, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Usher, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott. He has also collaborated with standout performers from American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The Voice.

Weinstein is also planning a live concert in New York City in 2027, bringing together several of the talented vocalists featured on his social media channels for a special collaborative performance. Additional details will be announced in the coming months.

Outside of music, Weinstein is the Founder and CEO of JAM Direct, a marketing and advertising agency, and former Chief Marketing Officer of Allstar Products Group, where he was responsible for marketing some of the most successful products in “As Seen On TV” history, including the Snuggie, ShamWow and Shake Weight.

Watch Michael Weinstein’s performances here:

https://linktr.ee/mweinsteinmusic

About the Vega Digital Awards

The Vega Digital Awards is an international competition recognizing excellence in social media, digital marketing and brand strategy. Judged by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the competition honors work that demonstrates innovation, effectiveness and measurable impact across the global marketing landscape.

Media Contact

Michael Weinstein, JAM Direct, 1 9146610053, mw@jamdirect.com, https://michaelweinstein.me/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/pianist-michael-weinstein-wins-best-social-media-music-collaborations-at-the-2026-vega-awards-302919551.html

SOURCE JAM Direct

Technology

Landis+Gyr Secures Major Contract with Leading US Utility

Published

2 hours ago

October 26, 2026

CHAM, Switzerland and ALPHARETTA, Ga., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Landis+Gyr Group AG (SIX: LAND), a global energy technology leader driving intelligent innovation across the grid, today announced that it has secured a major contract with a leading US investor-owned electric utility. The agreement covers more than 3 million advanced metering endpoints.

Under the agreement, Landis+Gyr will provide Revelo meters and associated network and head-end system technologies, complemented by advanced security solutions, premium support, and software maintenance and services. The deployment is expected to advance the utility’s grid modernization objectives by enhancing security, grid visibility and operational performance.

“This important win reflects the strong momentum of our Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio and the trust customers place in Landis+Gyr to support large-scale grid modernization programs. By combining advanced metering, integrated technology, security and support capabilities, we look forward to helping this utility enhance grid visibility, reliability and operational performance,” said Peter Mainz, Chief Executive Officer of Landis+Gyr.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is a global energy technology leader, delivering intelligent solutions that connect devices, data, and decisions across the grid. Trusted by more than 2,000 utilities worldwide, we transform traditional devices into intelligent, networked sensors, giving utilities real-time grid visibility and system control. With these combined insights, electric, gas, and water companies can anticipate demand, optimize operations, and deliver energy that’s more reliable, resilient, accessible, safe, and sustainable for everyone. For more information, please visit our website www.landisgyr.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/landisgyr-secures-major-contract-with-leading-us-utility-302919687.html