Influencers

As Perkins Coie’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Genhi Givings Bailey is responsible for developing and executing the firm’s strategy to attract, recruit, retain and promote more diverse lawyers and to foster a firmwide culture of inclusion and belonging. Genhi works collaboratively with other firm leaders and members of firm management to advance the firm’s diversity and inclusion goals.

Previously, Genhi led strategic diversity and inclusion efforts at DLA Piper for more than 10 years, during which time the firm received numerous diversity-related awards and recognition.

As an inclusive and authentic leader, Genhi is thrilled to help Perkins Coie continue to advance its long-held commitment to diversity and inclusion as core values.

Daphne Turpin Forbes is currently a Senior Attorney at Microsoft. She manages and leads a team of transactional lawyers who serve as trusted legal partners to Microsoft’s Regulated Industries Enterprise Operating Unit (“EOU”); specializing in digital transformation deals in the U.S Public Sector: Federal (Civilian), State & Local Government, Education, and Citizenship verticals. 

Prior to joining Microsoft, she was in-house counsel at Discovery Communications, Inc. and ACS State & Local Solutions (formerly Lockheed Martin IMS). While at ACS, she handled a variety of contract negotiations and advised clients on government procurement practices, ethics rules, and other matters specific to conducting business in the State & Local Government space. At Discovery Communications, her advice focused on network programming for popular shows, including the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, and Animal Planet, to name a few.

Daphne actively supports diversity initiatives internally at Microsoft and externally through various organizations. She is a member of many volunteer organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Prince George’s County (MD) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Chapter of Jack & Jill of America. She is a member of various boards and advisory councils in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, and a member of the Maryland State and National Bar associations. 

Daphne is the recipient of various corporate awards for her diversity and client support work. In addition, Daphne is the recipient of the Microsoft MVP Circle of Excellence Award, and the National Bar Association’s Clyde E. Bailey Corporate Leadership Award.

Daphne is a graduate of Michigan State University and the American University Washington College of Law. She lives in Bowie, Maryland with her husband, and two fabulous teenage children.

Bernie Lawrence-Watkins is a seasoned principal attorney at the law firm of B. Lawrence Watkins & Associates, PC, concentrating in the areas of Entertainment, Technology, Licensing, Copyright, Trademark, Business Transactions, Litigation and Corporate Formations.  Her clients include Grammy® Award winning music producers, artists and songwriters, some of who have sold over 10 million units in sales. She also represents major label record executives, Deejays, independent record labels, managers, music and film/television production companies, screenplay writers, and clothing designers. Ms. Lawrence-Watkins has over twenty years of experience in drafting and negotiating complex agreements ranging from licensing, employment, corporate transactions, to product endorsement and influencer deals on behalf of entertainment and corporate brands. Ms. Lawrence-Watkins’ sharp negotiating skills have earned her clients over millions of dollars in revenue. Over the years, she has represented a wide range of clients such as 21 Savage, Young Nudy, Super Producer Tay Keith, JetsonMade, Jagged Edge, Social Media Influencer Miss Mulatto and Woah Vicky, to name a few. She periodically appears as a guest lecturer and panelist at colleges, law schools and conferences nationally and internationally. Ms. Lawrence-Watkins is the mother of two sons, one in college and the other in high school. 

Tiffany J. Smith has over a decade of experience advising and representing broker-dealers and other financial institutions, including financial technology companies, regarding compliance with federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules of the self-regulatory organizations. Ms. Smith’s practice primarily focuses on three areas: (i) broker-dealer regulatory compliance, (ii) representing clients in connection with enforcement matters and regulatory examinations, and (iii) providing regulatory advice in connection with corporate transactions.

With respect to broker-dealer regulatory compliance, Ms. Smith often advises clients on newly adopted rules and areas of increased regulatory focus, including the rules on market access, securities trading and market activities, short sales, and issuer repurchases. Ms. Smith also has experience advising clients on the regulatory implications of new and emerging technologies (e.g., blockchain) and helping clients navigate the regulatory hurdles associated with these technologies. In addition, she counsels clients on triggers for broker-dealer registration, including those related to offshore activities and those related to the activities of financial technology companies.  

Ms. Smith has experience representing clients in connection with regulatory examinations, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) enforcement matters, and the FINRA MC-400 Membership Continuance Process, and conducting internal investigations.

Ms. Smith often serves as regulatory counsel in connection with corporate transactions involving broker-dealers, advises clients through the FINRA new and continuing member application processes, and counsels clients on the triggers for filing a FINRA continuing member application.  

At the firm, Ms. Smith has been active on the Diversity Committee, Hiring Committee, Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, and various volunteer-based initiatives. From 2016–2019, she was co-chair of firm's New York summer associate program.

While in law school, Ms. Smith was a Compliance Audit Specialist for M&T Securities. She audited personnel to ensure compliance with internal, federal and self-regulatory organization rules, and held the following securities licenses: Series 6, 7, 24, 53, 63 and 65. Ms. Smith also interned at the Investment Management Division of the SEC and the Litigation Department at FINRA.

In 2014, Ms. Smith completed the Council of Urban Professionals Executive Leadership Program, a year-long leadership development program comprised of leadership training, coaching and keynote conversations with executives. Ms. Smith is also a member of the Wall Street Blockchain Association, the New York City Bar, the National Bar Association, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association and the LGBT Bar Association of New York; and on the Board of the Legal Aid Society.

Qudus Olaniran is a senior attorney in Microsoft's Intellectual Property Group.  Qudus joined Microsoft in 2016 as a patent attorney with responsibility for patent portfolio strategy and management for Microsoft’s Surface products.  Prior to joining Microsoft, Qudus practiced as a patent litigation attorney at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe and Perkins Coie in California.  And prior to his legal practice, Qudus was an electrical engineer with experience at companies like Intel, Sun Microsystems, and a couple of silicon valley startups sprinkled in.  Qudus has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law.

Harry Wingo is an Assistant Professor at the National Defense University (NDU), USA.  He is a member of NDU's College of Information and Cyberspace, and focuses on cyber law and emerging technologies, particularly the law and policy aspects of “smart city” technologies like smart grid, 5G, unmanned aircraft systems and artificial intelligence. Professor Wingo’s previous roles include Senior Policy Counsel at Google, Counsel to the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce & Transportation, Special Counsel to the General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission, and commissioned officer within the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams. He is a graduate of Yale Law School and the United States Naval Academy.