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Furman Trustee Yendelela Neely Holston receives Community Champion Award


Last updated May 9, 2018

By News administrator

Yendelela Neely Holston, a 2003 Furman graduate and a member of the university’s Board of Trustees, was honored with the Community Champion Award at the annual Corporate Counsel Awards in Atlanta May 9.

The award “honors an outstanding attorney who dedicates time and talents to serving the less fortunate, preserving the environment, saving the arts, and other causes that make the world a better place.”

The awards ceremony, which took place at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, was hosted by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Holston graduated magna cum laude from Furman, where she double-majored in history and political science. She is also a graduate of the Duke University School of Law (2006).

After finishing law school, Holston joined the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (formerly Kilpatrick Stockton LLP), where she concentrated her practice on employment counseling, litigation and defense strategy, with an emphasis on discrimination, occupational safety and health, and wage and hour issues.

Holston was voted into the partnership at Kilpatrick Townsend in 2013 and remained a partner at the firm until December 2015, when she joined the legal department of AT&T Services, Inc.

As assistant vice president-senior legal counsel at AT&T Services, Holston litigates and counsels business clients on employment law issues. Holston has experience advising her clients through all aspects of the employment relationship, including policy creation and implementation, resolution of difficult employment issues, and development of strategies to avoid employment disputes.

Holston is also an experienced litigator. While in private practice, Holston successfully defended employers in a variety of industries in federal and state courts. Holston now develops strategy and manages outside counsel in class action litigation against AT&T or related entities involving employment matters.

In addition to serving on Furman’s 36-member board, Holston serves on four others. She is the chair of the Atlanta advisory board for Jumpstart, a national early education organization, and was appointed by the mayor of Atlanta to serve as vice-chair of the board of directors for the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency.

Holston is also a member of the board of directors for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and of the board of directors for Families First. Holston is an active member of Impact United Methodist Church where she serves on the staff parish relations committee.

For more information, contact the Furman News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.

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