Bass, Berry & Sims is pleased to announce that two attorneys were chosen to participate in separate professional development and leadership programs created by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). Member Lillian Blackshear will be a member of the 2022 class of Fellows and associate Shay Ahmed will be a member of the 2022 class of Pathfinders.
LCLD Fellows Program
The LCLD Fellows Program was created to identify, train, and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession. Lillian is one of 434 Fellows in this year’s class who will complete the LCLD’s exclusive curriculum designed for diverse, high-potential, mid-career attorneys.
Bass, Berry & Sims has long supported the LCLD organization and the Fellows Program. Several firm attorneys have previously completed the program, including:
- 2021 – Lauren Gaffney
- 2020 – Shannon Wiley
- 2019 – Lisa Rivera
- 2018 – Sehrish Siddiqui
- 2017 – Tatjana Paterno
- 2016 – Kinika Young (firm alumna)
- 2015 – Al Bright
- 2014 – David Esquivel
- 2013 – Kathryn Walker
- 2012 – Alonda McCutcheon (firm alumna)
- 2011 – Wendy Warren (firm alumna)
Lillian focuses her legal practice exclusively on public finance matters, representing an array of governmental entities, investment banks and commercial banks on debt issuances throughout Tennessee. Clients look to Lillian to help them secure the financing necessary to green-light a wide range of development projects and debt refundings. Lillian is a valuable resource to the firm’s Public Finance Practice Group on municipal securities disclosure issues and frequently works with issuers regarding their continuing disclosure obligations. Lillian was named to the Nashville Business Journal’s “40 Under 40 List” in 2018. She is an active participant in a number of industry associations, including the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Women in Public Finance – Tennessee Chapter, among others. Lillian currently serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and is the past leader of the firm’s African-American Affinity Group.
LCLD Pathfinder Program
The LCLD Pathfinder Program was created in 2015 to train high-performing, early-career attorneys. The goal of this program is to provide Pathfinders with practical tools for developing and leveraging (1) internal professional networks through relationship-building skills; (2) foundational leadership skills; and (3) an understanding of career development strategies. 
Shay is one of the almost 450 individuals in the 2022 class.
Shay counsels clients on corporate and securities issues including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, private equity financings, and securities regulations matters and filings.
About LCLD
Founded in 2009, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) has grown to an organization of more than 400 members, who serve as either general counsel of major corporations or managing partners of the nation’s leading law firms. To date, more than 10,000 diverse lawyers and legal students have been reached by LCLD programming. For more information, visit www.lcldnet.org.