Fenwick Welcomes Neha Shah Nissen as Chief Talent Officer

Fenwick is pleased to announce that Neha Shah Nissen has joined the firm as its first chief talent officer. Nissen is responsible for overseeing the recruitment, development and advancement of talent across the firm.

“Neha is a fantastic addition to the firm, and creating this new senior leadership role underscores our commitment to developing and retaining our people, who are our greatest asset,” said Fenwick chair Richard Dickson. “We are deeply invested in serving the needs of technology and life sciences clients, and Neha’s experience as a former law firm partner and practice management professional gives her a unique understanding of how to maximize our talent, enhancing the value we bring to our clients. Neha’s vision, passion and leadership are impressive, and we have every confidence that she will have a meaningful impact on our talent and leadership development initiatives across the firm.”

“I am excited to join Fenwick, a firm that not only maintains industry-leading practices and delivers exceptional client service but also places an equally high priority on investing in its firm culture and its people,” Nissen said. “Fenwick has attracted an incredibly smart, talented and diverse group of legal and business professionals. My goal is to harness that talent by taking a holistic approach to how we engage and develop our people throughout their tenures at the firm.”

Nissen oversees Fenwick’s attorney recruiting, practice management and legal personnel and training departments, in addition to the firm’s diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility and pro bono teams. She also sits on the executive committee of the firm and co-leads the senior management team with Fenwick chief operating officer Scott Pine.

“At our core, we are in the talent business. Neha’s addition gives us an exciting opportunity to leverage her experience, strategic focus and leadership to assist the firm in developing and engaging all of our professionals in a new, dynamic way,” Pine said. “We’re excited to have an accomplished attorney and administrator of Neha’s caliber join Fenwick.”

Nissen brings the perspective of a practicing attorney who rose through the ranks from summer associate and associate to partnership at an Am Law 100 firm before transitioning into practice management and talent development leadership. During her tenure at her prior firm, she led attorney professional development initiatives at the partner level and spearheaded the buildout of the practice management function. Nissen launched programs focused on the professional development and advancement of associates, created innovative attorney personnel policies to support family leave and flexible schedules, and assisted in the creation and implementation of her firm’s diversity task force and diversity action plan.

At Fenwick, Nissen will focus on professional and leadership development at all levels, including the recruitment, retention and advancement of women and professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Nissen earned her J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law and her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.