Irell & Manella has a new managing partner: Ellisen Turner. When I first read that news, I thought ho-hum. Another man for the top job. But then I glanced down at the page and saw Turner’s photo, and my reaction was: Wow. He’s African-American!
Anyone who pretends that she didn’t react the way I did is, well, pretending. I know I’m supposed to do the P.C. thing and act like Turner’s race is irrelevant. Which, I guess, is why a lot of the coverage about his elevation focused on his clients and previous roles on the firm’s executive committee.
