The overarching tone of an organization is set by its leadership. Take, for example, the significant leadership step taken by then-Thompson & Knight managing partner Peter J. Riley in 2006.

Riley wanted to lead by example and set a necessary and needed tone for the firm he loved. He spent his entire career at Thompson & Knight, where nearly four years ago he became the first managing partner of a large Texas firm to retain and invest in a partner/chief diversity officer — me.