Women in Law 2022

KENYATTA BEVERLY LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT COUNSEL The Davey Tree Expert Company

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K enyatta Beverly is Labor and Employment Counsel for The Davey Tree Expert Company. Davey provides a wide range of arboricultural, horticultural, environmental, utility support, and consulting services to customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Davey employs nearly 13,000 employees, making it one of the largest employee-owned companies in the country. Kenyatta provides Davey’s executive team, Board of Directors, operations management, and human resources department with trusted strategic counsel on all labor and employment related issues. From her first day at Davey, Kenyatta has been a force for meaningful change, encouraging the implementation of policies that make Davey an even more inclusive workplace for all employees. Kenyatta was instrumental to the formation of Davey’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, and along with her human resources partners, formally created Employee Affinity Groups. Prior to joining Davey, Kenyatta served as the Director of Labor Relations for Acero Charter Schools, Inc.; as Labor Relations Counsel for the State of Illinois; as an Administrative Law Judge at the Illinois Labor Relations Board; and as an associate at both Rooney Rippie & Ratnaswamy LLP and Mayer Brown LLP. Kenyatta is also heavily involved in various civic and professional organizations. In particular, from 2020-2021, she was the President of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., an organization founded in 1987, dedicated to addressing issues unique to Black women attorneys and law students, supporting their advancement in the profession, and advancing civil and human rights. Kenyatta led BWLA during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising to the challenge of successfully leading during the most challenging times. Under her leadership, BWLA launched the Law Student Hardship Grant; awarded nearly $50,000 in scholarships; and formed the Expungement & Sealing and Civil Rights Action committees. Kenyatta cares deeply for our youth and mentors students at all grade levels, from elementary through law school. Representation is extremely important to Kenyatta because she would not be an attorney if she had not met a Black woman law student during a 3rd grade field trip. That encounter left an indelible imprint on Kenyatta that sparked her interest in the law. Kenyatta hopes to have a similar positive impact on the students that she mentors, even if they pursue a career outside of the law. Kenyatta is a recognized leader and has been honored by multiple organizations. Notably, in 2021, Diversity MBA Magazine named her a Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leader. Additionally, in 2020, she received the She Shines Award from Girls Inc. of Chicago, an organization that seeks to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Kenyatta was recently appointed to Girls Inc.’s Associate Board. Kenyatta is from East St. Louis, Illinois. She earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Kenyatta is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She loves fishing, enjoys weightlifting, is a Plant Momma, eats way too many Sour Patch Kids, and lives for her air fryer.

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