Two LPL Financial Attorneys Join Effort to Increase Diversity, Inclusion in Legal Profession

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Feb. 26, 2020 – LPL Financial LLC, a leading retail investment advisory firm and independent broker-dealer, today announced that two LPL attorneys have been named 2020 Fellows of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), furthering LPL Financial’s commitment to nurturing an inclusive work environment and developing the next generation of leaders. Gina Gombar and Carla Sanderson, both members of the firm’s Legal department, were selected to join the select group of experienced attorneys from diverse backgrounds.

The LCLD initiative is a year-long, in-depth program that provides attendees with relationship-building, in-person training, peer-group projects and extensive contact with LCLD’s top leadership. Founded in 2009, LCLD is comprised of more than 320 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are personally committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive legal profession. The Fellows program has trained more than a 1,600 mid-career attorneys since 2011.

“As a participant in the LCLD program, I’m excited to build on my leadership skills by having the opportunity to advocate and support our firm’s diversity and inclusion mission with employees and our financial professionals,” said Gombar, an LPL vice president based in the firm’s Boston office. She graduated from University of Massachusetts and New England Law. “There is great power when we can embrace different ideas, backgrounds and perspectives and that goes hand and hand with our ability to serve an increasingly diverse client base.”

Sanderson is a graduate of McGill University and California Western School of Law and an LPL assistant vice president based in San Diego. She added, “I am honored to work for a company that prioritizes diversity and inclusion in its initiatives and actively works to foster this in the workplace. In my role doing employment law, I work on projects and develop policies that can affect the whole LPL population. The opportunity to participate in the LCLD program will help to deepen my capacity to thoughtfully serve the individuals and communities within our firm through important initiatives.”

This year’s Fellows follow in the footsteps of other LPL Financial attorneys who have benefited from the LCLD program, including last year’s participants, Erin Dempsey and Ryder Hill, and 2018 Fellows Andrea J. Ferranti and Autumn Crowell.

LPL committed to inclusion

“As a firm, we are committed to building an inclusive culture that supports, inspires and respects diverse talent; one where employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work so they can deliver their best for our financial professionals and their clients,” said Peggy Ho, executive vice president and chief of staff, LPL’s Compliance, Legal and Risk department. “Gina and Carla are both respected attorneys and highly talented individuals who are committed to furthering the work we do each day to develop and maintain an inclusive culture at LPL. We look forward to the ideas and insights they gather as they take steps to advance their careers and our workplace.”

For more information, visit www.lcldnet.org

Related news

LPL Financial Receives Perfect 100 in HRC’s Corporate Equality Index

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial is a leader in the retail financial advice market and the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer*. We serve independent financial advisors, professionals and financial institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow thriving practices. LPL enables them to provide objective guidance to millions of American families seeking wealth management, retirement planning, financial planning and asset management solutions.

*Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine June 1996-2019

LPL Financial and Leadership Council on Legal Diversity are separate entities.