Yendelela Neely Holston

Yendelela Neely Holston

Partner & Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

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Yendelela Neely Holston is a 2003 magna cum laude graduate of Furman University where she double-majored in History and Political Science. Yendelela is also a cum laude graduate of Duke University School of Law (2006). After graduating from law school, Yendelela joined the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (formerly Kilpatrick Stockton LLP) where she is currently a partner and the firm’s first Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.  In her role as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Yendelela is responsible for developing, overseeing, and implementing Kilpatrick Townsend’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.  As a practicing attorney, Yendelela concentrates her practice on multi-plaintiff and class and collective action litigation and defense strategy, with particular emphasis on employment discrimination, wage and hour, and background check issues.

Prior to returning to Kilpatrick Townsend in September 2018 (she previously worked at the Firm from 2006 until 2015), Yendelela was Assistant Vice President-Senior Legal Counsel at AT&T Services, Inc. where she developed strategy and managed outside counsel in class action litigation involving employment matters against AT&T-related entities.  Yendelela also 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.  Yendelela currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society.  She is also a proud member of the Board of Directors for Agape Youth & Family Center and a Commissioner on the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodists Church’s Commission on Race and Religion.  Yendelela believes deeply in equality of access and opportunity and thus, has previously served as a member of the National Board for and the Chair of the Atlanta Advisory Board for Jumpstart, a national early education organization, as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Worksource Atlanta (formerly the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency), and as a member of the Board of Directors for Families First. In addition, Yendelela is an active member of Impact United Methodist Church.

Yendelela resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

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