Three Benesch Attorneys Named to 2025 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows and Pathfinders Programs

Benesch is proud to announce that Partner Yelena Katz has been selected for the 2025 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows Program, and Partner Ermias Abebe and Associate Lauryn Robinson have been chosen for the 2025 LCLD Pathfinders Program. These distinguished programs identify, train and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession.

Founded in 2009, LCLD is a growing organization of more than 400 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who are committed to creating an environment where all talent can thrive. The Fellows Program, the organization’s flagship initiative, is a year-long professional development program for mid-career attorneys from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate strong leadership potential. The program provides participants with opportunities to enhance their leadership skills, expand their professional networks and develop strategies for career growth.

The LCLD Pathfinders Program is a seven-month program designed to equip high-potential, early-career attorneys with foundational leadership skills and relationship-building resources. Participants gain insights from top leaders in the legal industry, as well as experts in professional development and executive coaching.

Benesch congratulates Yelena, Ermias and Lauryn on this well-deserved opportunity. We look forward to seeing the impact of their leadership in the firm and beyond.

Yelena Katz

Yelena advises and represents employers in matters arising under employment and traditional labor laws. She has secured victories for employers facing single or multi-plaintiff claims of discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. Yelena also represents clients in collective and class action wage and hour cases and in noncompetition and trade secret rights enforcement litigation. Yelena has practiced before federal and state courts, arbitrators, and administrative agencies nationwide. In addition to her litigation practice, Yelena also collaborates with employers to establish best practices and advises them regarding day-to-day employment issues that arise in their businesses. She serves as Vice Chair of External Programming for the firm’s Women’s Initiative, leading the B-Sharp program, which helps women in-house counsel expand their networks. She completed the LCLD Pathfinder program in 2021.

Ermias Abebe

Ermias advises private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies and both publicly and privately held companies on complex transactions. These include mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, carve-outs, leveraged buyouts and other strategic endeavors. He has represented private equity sponsors, private companies and publicly traded companies in transactions ranging from $1 million to $4.4 billion, spanning both the U.S. and international markets. Additionally, Ermias offers comprehensive counsel on a wide spectrum of general corporate matters and complex commercial arrangements.

Lauryn Robinson

Lauryn’s practice covers general commercial litigation, consumer class actions, and transportation and logistics-related claims. She navigates all stages of litigation, including drafting motions, managing discovery projects of various scales, representing clients at hearings and mediations, taking depositions, and assisting with trial. Lauryn regularly defends retailers against class actions alleging unfair or deceptive business practices, and is skilled at providing practical, actionable advice regarding novel retail and e-commerce issues. Additionally, as a member of the Transportation & Logistics group, Lauryn represents carriers, transportation brokers, and third-party logistics providers in a wide variety of business, cargo, and contractual claims.