Henry Leventis, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, was previously a partner at a law firm which claims to be “100 [percent] committed” to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the controversial practices conservatives complain reward individuals based on their gender, skin color or other immutable characteristics rather than character or capability.
Leventis (pictured above) worked as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee from 2015 until 2020, when he left the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a private sector job.
He was working for the Spencer Fane law firm in 2022, according to documents Leventis provided after President Joe Biden asked him to return to the DOJ and lead its office in Middle Tennessee.
In a page on the Spencer Fane website devoted to the subject, chairman Patrick Whalen describes DEI as “fundamental” to the law firm’s success.
“At Spencer Fane, we believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental principles essential to the firm and our clients’ success,” stated Whalen. “We foster and develop a diverse array of attorneys and professional staff who bring varied ideas and perspective to our clients’ complex legal challenges.”
The Spencer Fane web page explains the company requires its employees to undergo education “on DEI issues and providing opportunities for discussion,” as well as additional DEI-themed mentorship and training opportunities, and boasts a DEI Committee which is directed “to promote, monitor, and evaluate our policies.”
According to the web page, the law firm also considers DEI in recruitment and while considering its donations.
Spencer Fane recruits “law students to ensure a diverse applicant pool” and participates “in recruiting events aimed at enhancing the diversity of law firms’ workforces,” the web page explains.
The company also supports “diversity-focused networks, such as our Black Opportunities to Network and Discover (BOND) and Women ADVOCATE Connect Groups, the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.”
Spencer Fane’s commitment to DEI is also apparent in its press releases, as in May it reported selecting an “associate with [a] diverse background” to lead its office in Overland Park, Kansas.
When Leventis was appointed by Biden to lead the Middle Tennessee office in 2022, The Tennessee Star reported he was a member of the Southeast Regional Board for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the controversial group which often targets former President Donald Trump and other conservatives in its purported efforts to curtail hatred in the United States.
Leventis also previously served under special counsel Jack Smith while working in a different role at the Middle Tennessee office.
Smith, who is now prosecuting the federal election case against Trump, was Leventis’ superior when he led the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Middle Tennessee from March 2017 until September 2017.
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Image “Spencer Fane Website” by Spencer Fane.
