As Bradley Gayton prepares to leave the legal department at Ford Motor Co., where he’s worked for nearly 30 years, and take over as top lawyer for the Coca-Cola Co., he’s spending some time reflecting on his legacy. 

While many in-house leaders have signed letters and pledges supporting diversity initiatives, few, if any, have put in the amount of real-world effort that Gayton has in working tirelessly to encourage and support women and people of color in the legal industry.