Akin Gump Hires New Diversity Chief from WilmerHale

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has hired Nimesh Patel, formerly of WilmerHale, as its chief diversity officer, amid a push from firms that has at times involved grabbing diversity bosses from competitors.

Patel was director of diversity and inclusion at WilmerHale and previously ran the diversity office at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He has 25 years of diversity and inclusion experience and will answer directly to the firm’s chair Kim Koopersmith.

To demonstrate their drive in the face of widespread criticism of the lack of inclusion, firms are hiring diversity officers—sometimes from each other. Last fall, for ...