Profile in Inclusion

Yolanda Torres

If you hear an infectious, distinctive laugh echoing through the halls of Chuhak & Tecson, odds are it is coming from Yolanda Torres. Though she has only been with the firm for just over one year, Yolanda has established herself as a prominent and positive presence, sharing her talents, determination, authenticity and joyfulness with clients and colleagues alike.

An experienced legal assistant working with attorneys on banking and bankruptcy matters, Yolanda quickly earned their trust and respect with her demonstrable commitment to providing exceptional client service and flawless work product. Yolanda’s innate curiosity and relentless drive to learn new things and expand her skill set have been defining features of her career, while her upbeat attitude and dedication to principles of mutual respect, acceptance and inclusion have guided her throughout her life.

Yolanda says that soon after joining Chuhak & Tecson, she discovered that the firm values, appreciates and encourages all of those qualities and characteristics, something she found to be a much-needed breath of fresh air.

“From the minute I walked in the door, the contrast between the people and environment here and where I had worked previously was a bit overwhelming, frankly,” she recalls. “Everyone here is so welcoming and supportive of each other. They are quick with a smile or hello, generous with their praise for a job well done, and clearly like being here, even if they’re having an off day.”

Just as important, if not more so, Yolanda found the firm to be a place where she could be her authentic self, where she was surrounded by colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances who all felt they could do the same. As a lesbian Hispanic woman, juggling her work with the responsibilities of motherhood she shares with her wife of eight years, Yolanda profoundly appreciates both the work-life flexibility and empathy the firm provides for all employees as well as its clear commitment to principles of diversity and inclusion.

“It is so apparent how much the firm not only appreciates the value of a diverse workforce but actively makes it a top priority,” Yolanda says. “It’s not only reflected in the many events and initiatives that focus on celebrating our different backgrounds, but it just permeates the atmosphere here. You see it in how open and proud everyone is about who they are, and in the love and encouragement that comes back at them for being so.”

After receiving and accepting an invitation to join the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Council within weeks of her joining the firm, Yolanda has helped drive the firm’s efforts to even greater heights. Her spirit and enthusiasm in this role, and in general, have not gone unnoticed.

“I will always remember the day, just about a year after I started, when Mitch (Weinstein, firm president) randomly pulled me aside into a conference room, just to say how much he appreciated my work and the energy he said I brought to the firm,” Yolanda says with a smile. “It is that kind of unprompted, unscripted recognition, encouragement and support that encapsulates how wonderful it is to work here.”