FRONT

eSSENTIAL Accessibility

and Level Access Complete Merger Scott Hulsey Joins Barnes & Thornburg As Litigation Partner In D.C. And Atlanta US Litigation and Regulatory Partner Vasu Muthyala strengthens Asia Pacific Litigation team at

Clifford Chance

Akin Gump Represents Apache Corporation in $505 Million Acquisition of Properties in Texas Delaware Basin Weil Advises CD&R on its Acquisitions of Atalian and OCS Intellectual Property Partner Loretta Freeman Joins Barnes & Thornburg In Atlanta McGuireWoods Advises Vet’s Best Friend Group in Acquisition by Rarebreed Veterinary Partners OpenText Launches Three New Solutions on Salesforce AppExchange Clifford Chance advises Informa on US$193 million sale of several business units to Montagu

Barnes & Thornburg

Expands National Complex Litigation And Life Sciences Practices With New Offices In New Jersey And Philadelphia Accomplished Trial Lawyer Jeremiah Anderson Joins McGuireWoods in Houston Mitratech Acquires AssureHire, Further Expanding Human Resources Solutions Weil Advises on $6.3B Debt Restructuring of Nordic Aviation Capital

Required Reading

Too busy to read it all? Try these books, blogs, webcasts, websites and other info resources curated by CCBJ especially for corporate counsel and legal ops professionals.

COLUMN: Big Law Business

Roy Strom’s Big Law Business column in Bloomberg, which looks at the changing legal marketplace, ls always insightful and, sometimes, surprising. This installment is a good example. Strom uses a New York Times Magazine headline as his jumping off point. “Big Law has never been the first career choice for the most altruistic law students,” Strom writes. “But large law firms are facing more robust criticisms than any time in recent memory, and partners should be concerned. A New York Times Magazine headline last week asked, ‘Is It OK to Take a Law-Firm Job Defending Climate Villains?’ Plenty of law students say the answer is no.” To make his case, Strom looks at a recent book, “Servants of the Damned,” which he characterizes as the story of a big law firm "losing its conscience.” “It starts with Jones Day convincing a client in the 1940s to quickly compensate victims of a natural gas explosion and ends with lawyers walking out on their firm for representing the Trump campaign in a 2020 challenge to Pennsylvania’s election rules,” Strom writes. Definitely required reading.

WEBSITE: Artificial Lawyer

Not unlike Strom’s column, Artificial Lawyer, a UK-based website, is about changing the business of law, though much more through the use of technology. “At the heart of this is a focus on the economic aspects of the law and the related areas of efficiency in the production of legal work, and the increased insight into the data that is produced by all legal activity and how that insight in turn adds new value to legal work and helps drive efficiency,” Artificial Lawyer explains. A distinguishing features of AL is good, solid reporting, which translates into regular deep dives into meaty reports and surveys such as Wolters Kluwer’s “Future Ready Lawyer Survey.” “They said it couldn’t be done” Al writes, “but it looks like the ‘Future Ready Lawyer Survey’ by Wolters Kluwer (WK) has shown that successful legal tech implementation makes law firms more profitable, with 63% of ‘technology leading’ firms reporting profitability increases over the past year, compared to only 46% of other firms that have put less emphasis on tech adoption. Hey, if that doesn’t pique your interest, nothing will.

Contributors

Thanks to the law firms, technology companies, alternative legal service providers, management consultants and other supporters of corporate law departments who share their insights and expertise through the CCBJ network. Your participation is appreciated.

Neil Belloff has been General Counsel of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. since November 2021. In addition, he previously served as a Senior Attorney-Advisor in the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. Mr. Belloff holds a J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law, a M.A. from New York University, a B.A. from Queens College of the City University of New York, and completed postgraduate studies in the LL.M. Program in Securities Regulation at Georgetown University Law Center.

Elizabeth Columbo is the Senior Legal Counsel with Vendavo, Inc., In her role, Elizabeth works cross-functionally with the relevant business teams and stakeholders, providing legal advice on a broad range of topics and guiding the business on legal compliance with a particular focus on drafting, managing, and negotiating client and vendor contracts of moderateto-high complexity from the bid phase through contract execution, including software licensing and SaaS-specific provisions, as well as matters related to contractual liability and risk-shifting provisions, data privacy, intellectual property, and products. David Moreno focuses his litigation practice on a wide range of areas, including commercial litigation, white collar defense, intellectual property protection, tax, investment disputes, reputation management, and sports and entertainment. David is also a certified contract adviser with the National Basketball Association, National Football League, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Greg Negus has more than thirty years of experience in professional services firm management. At Cornerstone Research, Mr. Negus is responsible for leading the firm’s corporate and administrative functions, including finance, information technology, human resources, talent, and marketing. He also manages the firm’s facilities and office administration operations. Mr. Negus serves on Cornerstone Research’s executive committee and its pro bono committee, among others.

Anthony Pacilio is an expert in neurodiverse employment and currently serves as the vice president of CAI Neurodiverse Solutions. There, he helps neurodiverse candidates find roles, as well as helps businesses maintain best practices when working with neurodiverse employees. In the past, Anthony has worked in the finance and healthcare industries with similar missions. Dave Parks manages the company’s overall marketing strategy and initiatives including product marketing, demand gen, digital, content, and public relations. Dave has over two decades of strong product and content experience having served in senior marketing roles with Progress, Ciena, Lucent, and Cascade Communications and as an industry analyst with the Yankee Group. Dave is a passionate marketer who loves creating content that answers people’s questions and delivers his audience value.

Tiffany Presley is a partner in Barnes & Thornburg’s Indianapolis office. Coupled with her approachability and attention to detail, she knows how to steer her supply chain and corporate clients so that their projects and commercial contracts don’t go off the rails. Her goal is to empower and protect her clients by helping them enhance their strengths and find ways to improve on their supply chain weaknesses.

Keith Vallely has started numerous businesses with varying degrees of success, culminating with a multitime award winning Entrepreneur Magazine HOT 100 business in the technology sector. In 2011, Keith joined Epona USA, as the Director of US Sales, and as their first employee in the United States, to open the USA office and begin the process of spreading the power of SharePoint as a DMS platform for the Dutch-based Epona Legal BV. Partner Devika Kornbacher expands Tech Group in the US at Clifford Chance Energy and Renewables Partner Alex Harrison joins Akin Gump in London Executive Compensation & Benefits Partner Regina L. Readling joins Weil in New York DISCO Celebrates Opening of New Global Headquarters in Austin, Texas Trey Rayburn Brings Highly Rated Bankruptcy Practice to McGuireWoods Leading International Trade Partner Susan Kovarovics Joins Akin Gump Martín Montes To Lead Government Services Department at Barnes & Thornburg In Chicago Clifford Chance advises US Department of Energy on financing innovative clean hydrogen production and storage project Public Finance Lawyer Isaac Yilma Bolsters Public Finance Team at

McGuireWoods Keanen Armour, William Baker, Alexis Daenecke, Alex George, Daniel Habif, Christopher Manos, James

Smith, Darius Teo Welcomed to Barnes & Thornburg Weil Advises Howden on its Acquisition of TigerRisk Partners

Barnes & Thornburg

Welcomes John Kelly And Jacquelyn Papish As Partners, A.J. Bolan As Associate In Burgeoning Healthcare Fraud And Compliance Practice

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Pulse

Mastering Interpersonal Communication Is One of the Keys to Success

NEIL BELLOFF ACORDA THERAPUTICS

 Neil Belloff, General Counsel with Acorda Therapics, who has been influenced by Marting Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks and many others, believes in treating every employee like family.

CCBJ: What led you to your current role with Acorda?

Neil Belloff: After being elevated to COO & GC, navigating through a pandemic, battling cancer and completing a successful merger and a $50 million capital raise, it was time for a much needed vacation—and a new challenge.

Tell us about your leadership style. Who or what has influenced it? communication skills. I fancy myself a raconteur and I have a panoply of stories to tell in a disarming, enlightening and humorous way. I have always been a keen observer of human interactions. Not everyone is motivated in the same way and a good leader knows how to motivate on an individual level and inspire people to be the best they can be.

I have been influenced by Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Sitting Bull, Marquis de Lafayette, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, Neil Armstrong, Eleanor Roosevelt (all of whose autographs I display proudly), among others. In my career, I have been lucky enough to have had mentors who were brilliant, kind and caring and I wanted to emulate their example. It is not surprising that in my law school yearbook under my photo, it says: “If you’ve lived your life and haven’t contributed to mankind, your life has been a waste of time.” That doesn’t mean if you don’t cure cancer, you haven’t made a significant contribution, but that we all have a responsibility

to leave this planet and its inhabitants in a better condition than when we arrived on it. It’s as simple as turning someone’s frown into a smile. Whatever you can do to uplift another human being, even for a brief moment, is all it takes.

What are the key qualities you look for when you’re hiring?

Given that I myself am not a product of a prep-school education, the Ivy League or a big Wall Street law firm, I am always looking for talent in untraditional places. I scrutinize resumes for something that stands out and justifies why I should give this person a shot. I recognize that some applicants have had to try harder and do better to compete with the perception that graduating from Ivy schools or practicing in BigLaw correlates to intelligence, because that’s what I came up against. I also know from experience that it takes more than intelligence to succeed and to be a leader and mentor. It’s also become clear to me that a lawyer needs to have practical business sense.

Last but not least, I’m a big believer in DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice). There’s more to achieving equity than just hiring diverse people. It’s just as important to welcome a diversity of opinion, to extend respect and equal pay across gender and ethnic lines, and to provide mentoring and advancement opportunities to those who historically and currently have been denied equal access and equitable outcomes in education, business, the legal system and healthcare.

How would you describe the culture of your organization?

The culture is very family-oriented, meaning every employee is treated like family. Even newcomers like me have been welcomed into the family without reservation or suspicion. There is a trust and sense of collegiality that we all seem to share. It is a very team-oriented approach; a collective sense that we are all in it together and what each of us does matters and impacts the success of the whole enterprise. A headhunter once asked me what was the most important thing I wanted in a new position—and my response was that my relationship with the CEO and other members of leadership be more akin to a partnership than a monarchical vertical relationship.

Having a seat at the table is one thing; having a voice at the table is something completely different. With the latter comes respect, recognition and value in what a person has to contribute.

Share with our readers any noteworthy career advice you’ve received.

Some of the things I have learned along my long and winding journey include:

• Never burn bridges • Always move forward, never backward • Random acts of kindness go a long way and don’t cost very much • Be sensitive and diplomatic in how you interact with others since you don’t know where they have come from or what they are going through • It’s not necessary to be nasty or abusive to prove one’s point; bullying has no place in business or social settings – you will always get more flies with honey than with vinegar

When asked for career advice, what words of wisdom do you give to other professionals?

• Perseverance and patience are critical. When

I graduated law school, I sent out 1,000 resumes and received 500 rejection letters—on letterhead of some of the best firms in the country—which I still keep in a shoebox in my attic to remind myself of how difficult it was starting out. After the first 20 or 30 rejections, you become numb to the pain and begin to pride yourself on being able to tell by the envelope that it is a turndown. But never lose hope and persevere and you will turn around some day and look back on a very fruitful career. The difficulties one encounters will soon be in the rearview mirror.

Having a seat at the table is one thing; having a voice at the table is something completely different.

• You have to perform! Even if you have to work twice as hard as everyone else to succeed. And you have to prove your worth every day. Unlike Roger Clemens, one of the most successful power pitchers in history, who once said after a terrible outing that he “just had a bad day,” lawyers are not allowed to have a bad day. Imagine telling your client that he or she is going to prison because you “had a bad day!!” You should always strive to be on top of your game and learn as much as possible and stay abreast of the latest trends and regulatory changes. There are a myriad of resources available – use them!

• Always set your sights high. I asked a prospective hire where he wanted to be in a few years in his career and he responded that he wanted to be a vice president in charge of a small IP department. I said, “No you don’t!” He said,

“I don’t?” and I replied, “You want to be general counsel.”

When he proceeded to tell me he knew nothing about securities or corporate law, I said I would teach him.

Because that is my responsibility—to mentor the next generation of leaders and provide them with the skills and resources they need to fulfill their career potential.

When I was a NYC high school teacher, my greatest accomplishment and joy was watching my students achieve great successes. So too in my profession, I revel in my colleagues’ career advancements. • It’s never too early to network. This should happen from day one—even before law school graduation.

Most career opportunities will come about through network contacts, as will most business development opportunities. The younger generation is much more adept at social media and I tell them these tools will be useful in their career journey. Go to networking events and stay in touch with people. You never know who will be there to assist when needed or who will reach out because they remembered you took the time to keep in contact.

• Never lose sight of the human aspect in everything you do. It’s what makes us compassionate and passionate about what we do and why.

Don’t be afraid to be human and let others into your personal world. You will find most people have the same fears, desires and similar journeys.

We all make mistakes and relaying that to someone else and how we learned from our mistakes just shows that we are human and at the same time accountable for our actions. We shouldn’t not do something because we are afraid of failure. There is a little bit of risk in everything we do.

Neil Belloff has been General Counsel of Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. since November 2021. In addition, he previously served as a Senior Attorney-Advisor in the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. Mr. Belloff holds a J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law, a M.A. from New York University, a B.A. from Queens College of the City University of New York, and completed post-graduate studies in the LL.M. Program in Securities Regulation at Georgetown University Law Center. Reach him at nbelloff@acorda.com

Affect positive change wherever and whenever possible. And every now and then pat yourself on the back for a job well done. (But even if you don’t, know that others will ultimately recognize your accomplishments.)

What changes would you like to see within the legal profession?

While that is a loaded question, I would like to see more mentorship, more diversity (including more mentoring of young lawyers with different backgrounds than one’s own), more sensitivity to others, and more flexibility (now that we are in the COVID era, I believe hybrid work environments are here to stay). It used to be there were 20 people lined up for your job. At least that’s what partners would say, and it was likely true—25 or 30 years ago. But that is no longer the case and the profession needs to embrace the younger generation’s view on work-life balance and take it to heart. While I preached a lot about it in my career, I have never been able to find that balance. I never took a non-working vacation until last year when I was between jobs; it took me two days to realize I did not have any work to do and to relax on a beach near Charleston.

I also think that law firm partnership structures will need to change and become more egalitarian, meaning that the profitshare needs to be more equitable, including associates. I have seen more firms implode due to ego than debt obligations.

Billing models need to be re-examined, particularly if the overhead expense decreases (due to a hybrid model). Otherwise, the growth of on-demand attorney firms will gain a lot of traction as they can deliver quality services for a fraction of the billable rate of larger firms.

Lastly, I think that the “profession” needs to treat all personnel with respect (from the mail room to admins to paralegals). After all, we are all human beings with the same frailties, hopes, dreams, fears, etc. We are not superior because we went to law school. Like most doctors who go to medical school, most of us went to law school in order to help others – that should be a life-long endeavor. 

Four Ways to Respond to Today’s Supply Chain Disruptions

TIFFANY PRESLEY BARNES & THORNBURG

 Prior to November of 2019, the global supply chain and the role it plays in the international economy was a concept largely unappreciated by most people and certainly was not a daily topic of discussion. Today, however, almost two-and-a-half years into the pandemic, COVID-19 has made the term “supply chain” a part of everyone’s daily vernacular and has dramatically increased companies’ focus on supply chain management.

In addition to COVID-19-related disruptions, supply chains have been further crippled by labor shortages, increased demand, port congestion and blockages, climate change and other factors. Although widespread vaccination efforts have allowed us, in many ways, to return to our prepandemic lives, the havoc that began with the pandemic (and was exacerbated by many other factors) continues to overburden the global supply chain. Companies of all sizes across industries continue to experience varying degrees of disruption to their supply chains and are desperately looking for ways to manage the negative effects.

While it is nearly impossible for companies to completely eliminate all risks from their supply chain, here are four key steps that companies can take to mitigate the negative impact of current disruptions and protect against future ones.

1. Review contract provisions. Companies must continue to examine the contracts they have in place with customers and suppliers to determine their rights, obligations, available remedies and liability exposure. Existing contracts may contain provisions companies can rely on to excuse a failure to perform, to settle disputes, to terminate a contract early, or to limit the company’s liability, such as: a) Force Majeure. Force majeure clauses, which had previously been regarded as inconsequential boilerplate language, took center stage during the pandemic and will likely remain heavily scrutinized. These clauses identify circumstances or events beyond the parties’ control, the occurrence of which has rendered the performance of a contract impossible. When those unforeseeable events occur, a force majeure clause may prove useful in permitting a company to suspend, defer or be released, without liability, from the duty to perform its obligations under the contract.

Circumstances and events frequently defined as a force majeure event include war, riots, famine, “acts of God” (e.g., extreme weather events, floods, etc.), strikes, and civil uproar. Post-COVID-19, pandemics, epidemics and/or quarantine will also be frequently defined as force majeure events. The force majeure provision may also provide protection for the customer by either: (i) providing a timeframe after which the customer may purchase the products from another supplier where force majeure events continue beyond the stated timeframe or (ii) permitting the buyer to terminate the agreement early when the force majeure event continues beyond the stated timeframe.

b) Dispute Resolution. Dispute resolution clauses will instruct companies on how supply and other disputes must be resolved. These clauses typically either mandate mediation prior to litigation, allow parties to proceed straight to litigation without mediation or require the parties to submit a dispute to binding arbitration. Companies must understand what steps they must take to address disputes pursuant to the terms of the contract.

c) Termination. A termination clause will generally articulate the circumstances that will permit the company to terminate the contract; the steps that must be taken to terminate the contract; and the company’s rights and obligations that exist upon termination. This clause can be helpful to customers

and suppliers in mitigating supply chain disruptions, as it may permit a party to terminate a contract for convenience, breach, or where the company knows or suspects that it or the other party can no longer meet the contract’s obligations. Depending on the language, the termination clause can provide a means for buyers or sellers of goods to “stop the bleeding,” so to speak, and either explore alternate souring options (the buyer) or stop incurring obligations that cannot be met (the seller).

d) Limitation on Liability. A limitation on liability provision describes applicable limits on a company’s liability for its failures to perform pursuant to the terms of the contract. Liability of limitation clauses typically limit the amount that a party can recover for the other party’s failure to perform under the agreement and or the type of damages for which a party can recover. These clauses often limit an aggrieved party’s recovery to only direct damages and may significantly reduce a company’s overall liability exposure.

2. Identify sourcing alternatives. In addition to looking to contracts for mitigation opportunities, companies should identify sourcing alternatives. For many years, U.S. companies have sourced some or all of their products from overseas in an effort to minimize costs and maximize shareholder profit by taking advantage of lower labor and manufacturing costs that could be achieved abroad. COVID-19 and the current supply chain crisis, however, have taught us that heavy reliance on foreign manufacturers can be a risky strategy.

During COVID-19, many companies entered into single -sourced relationships with key suppliers.

While struggling to meet customer demand, now more than ever companies must factor in the many risks associated with foreign sourcing, including continuity of supply, quality control, brand protection, shipping delays, hidden and unexpected costs when determining the landed costs (i.e., the cost of getting the product from the supplier to its destination when sourcing products from abroad).

Another sourcing strategy that, while common, may pose significant risks is being reliant on one supplier for critical products. During COVID-19, many companies found themselves in single-sourced relationships with their key suppliers. This “putting all of your eggs in one basket” strategy sometimes makes sense from a commercial perspective because it often gives companies leverage to seek favorable pricing from their suppliers. And sometimes, when products are highly specialized companies may not have many sourcing options. Regardless of the reason for being single-sourced, companies now have been forced to consider the risk of being so. Exploring and expanding sourcing options will be critical to supply chain protection and sustainability for many industries.

3. Aim for visibility. Achieving end-to-end supply chain visibility is another important step that companies will want to take. Supply chain visibility allows companies to track goods’ movement throughout the supply chain and is based on gaining access to as much accurate information regarding the product as quickly as possible. The faster and further a company can increase its visibility throughout its supply chain, the better positioned it will be to seize opportunities and respond to threats. Increased visibility can also result in improved efficiency and reduced costs.

Increasing supply chain visibility will require implementing processes to gather data regarding inventory, suppliers’ business operations, logistics and other valuable information. Companies often turn to one of several software solutions available to help companies increase their supply chain visibility.

4. Obtain adequate insurance. The last key step that companies will want to take in an effort to protect their supply chains’ operations to obtain sufficient insurance. Insurance policies that may be helpful in supply chain protection include business interruption insurance, contingent business interruption, insurance, and supply chain insurance. When trying to mitigate losses through insurance coverage, companies should consider reviewing:

• The types of losses covered, limited, or excluded in their current insurance policies • Compliance with notice periods and other policy conditions • Necessary steps to mitigate losses or damage, which could include acquiring additional insurance coverage.

These four strategies are the building blocks to help companies work through current supply chain disruptions and create a sustainable and resilient supply chain. 

Tiffany Presley is a partner in Barnes & Thornburg’s Indianapolis office. Coupled with her approachability and attention to detail, she knows how to steer her supply chain and corporate clients so that their projects and commercial contracts don’t go off the rails. Her goal is to empower and protect her clients by helping them enhance their strengths and find ways to improve on their supply chain weaknesses. Reach her at Tiffany.Presley@btlaw.com

Reading and Writing the Neurodiversity Playbook

ANTHONY PACILIO CAI

 Anthony Pacilio, Vice President of Neurodiverse Solutions at CAI, talks about Neurodiversity as an emerging area in the DEI space and what drew him to the specialty.

When you first started offering articles and public speeches on the topic, how was the concept received?

Well, it’s different for everyone. In my case, I’ve masked being neurodivergent. I’m a white male in an executive position at this point in my career. But all my life I’ve masked my social anxiety disorder and the depression that comes along with it. We were just talking about my educational training in radio and television. I knew I had challenges and tribulations throughout my life, but it was never put at the forefront until I graduated college and started that first foray into banking. I always tell the story about having a friend, who has since passed away, that had Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He was an amazing human being, but no one quite got him because he’d play with finger puppets to reduce his anxiety. And that was his “stim pattern,” a self-soothing mechanism.

He was the most talented graphic designer you would ever meet, but no one knew it, right? He would go home—to his parents’ home—and he would go into his room, log on to the computer, and build these amazing pieces of architecture. And I always say: Imagine if we had programs back then like we have now! We have neurodiverse workplaces; huge companies, from a DEI standpoint, making sure that people who have invisible disabilities and physical challenges now have an equal seat at the table.

Now we’re all at the same table. And that was happenstance because the financial institution I worked for needed some QA [quality assurance] folks, and they were looking at different ways to get talent into the organization, and one of those came back using individuals with ASD. And my boss was like, “We should try this out.” And I’m like, “Absolutely, we should try this out.” And it was ridiculously successful! But what else it does is it changes cultures. It changes the way that I engage with others. I’m comfortable telling people that I have an extreme social anxiety disorder and depression. It makes it so that people understand that they, too, can say that they have X, Y or Z and still feel comfortable that there are organizations and companies that are going to support that, that are building programs to make sure that their neurodivergent employees are successful.

Part of what I do at CAI Neurodiverse Solutions is help make sure that people have the opportunity to have longlasting, meaningful, rewarding careers, not just temporary employment. It’s making sure that they can see the journey, the path of the individual.

While many people may have heard the word “neurodiversity,” a lot of our readers may not really know what it encompasses. Can you just give us a quick definition of the term for those who need it, and tell us what’s been going on around neurodiversity in the last two years?

Absolutely. Neurodiversity itself is just a different way that the brain thinks and can include extraordinary skills relating to memory, pattern recognition, mathematics— among many other skills. Neurodiversity is a big tent, encompassing ASD, ADHD, ADD, social anxiety disorders, mood disorders, PTSD—so best to just think of it as “somebody who thinks differently.” I think it all started out with Autism at Work. The initiative, way back when, between Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, SAP, EY, and others. I was part of one of those. We raised consciousness until the broader business community came to understand they could employ people who think differently.

You’re probably working next to somebody who is neurodivergent. Most people today might have X or Y neurodevelopmental disorder; you just don’t know it because they may not feel comfortable sharing as they think it might affect their promotion opportunities or lead to some other bad outcome. That whole stigma is something we’re trying to change. Neurodiversity in the workplace is a subset of the whole DEI initiative. But neurodiversity itself? It’s just a different way of thinking. It’s clear that employers can benefit from understanding that just as there are benefits to diversity in terms of gender, sexual preference, ethnicity and color, there are benefits to neurodiversity and that those benefits may be even more direct. You already mentioned a few things, like pattern recognition. Can you expand on that?

There are a lot of different benefits. I’ll speak to skillsets first, and then talk about something that nobody thinks about. If you’re looking to expand your talent pool with this untapped talent, things you can expect are different perspectives in data analysis, innovative solutions, problem solving and, as mentioned, pattern recognition. Some of these skills are ideal for careers in technology, finance, legal, cybersecurity and healthcare research.

When you have someone who is neurodivergent working with someone who might be neurotypical, you’re getting two different ways of looking at solutions. So if someone neurotypical is coding in Python, we’re finding that the neurodivergent individual sitting next to him comes up with things that he would never think of because he looks at the world in a very different way.

For example, we had a young man who works in a financial institution where they were doing some different coding projects, and there was a problem with a machine. It was a rounding error that was costing them millions. So, our team came in who are neurodivergent. Within a week this one particular gentleman who has ASD identified the problem and then, within a couple hours, fixed it. The company is now saving millions on a monthly basis, just on this one fix that it never thought of even looking into. So yes, there are all these little things that somebody who thinks differently, has a different perspective, can find, and do.

There’s one other greater good out of this. It’s empathy. When you have somebody who does things a little differently, you learn—as an individual, as a human being—that accepting someone who can do things differently is an asset to not only the organization, but to yourself, personally. both on screen, you’d see my hands going a mile a minute, and not just because I’m Italian, but it’s because in today’s world, a lot of things are a little bit skewed in people’s minds, and I’m passionate about normalizing mental health. When you bring someone in who is neurodivergent, it changes the culture of your organization for the better. In addition to the fact that you’re getting an amazing return on your investment financially, you’re also making a return on investment in a human being’s life because you are giving them that long-lasting career and helping them gain confidence in their ability to be successful.

We’ve had so many people who have now become independent from their parents and gotten their first apartment, their driver’s license, things that people take for granted, things they struggled to achieve for such a long time. So, companies being able to recognize the skillsets and employ someone who is neurodivergent are giving an opportunity to someone who didn’t have that opportunity before. We have people who are now getting married and starting families of their own. It’s the most wonderful thing ever.

With neurodiversity an emerging area in the DEI space, are you finding that it has to compete with other diverse populations for attention and resources?

Well, this is a movement. Obviously, there’s a lot of jobs out there. I know we don’t want to talk about the word recession at the moment, but I still think executives and senior sponsors are reachable. It sometimes starts with someone who has a

Anthony Pacilio is an expert in neurodiverse employment and currently serves as the vice president of CAI Neurodiverse Solutions. There, he helps neurodiverse candidates find roles, as well as helps businesses maintain best practices when working with neurodiverse employees. In the past, Anthony has worked in the finance and healthcare industries with similar missions. Reach him at Anthony.Pacilio@cai.io