Baker Donelson attorney Nakimuli Davis-Primer has been recognized as one of 40 leading young lawyers nationwide in Bloomberg Law's second annual "They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40." Ms. Davis-Primer is among 40 young lawyers nationwide spotlighted across a range of practice areas – including antitrust, appellate, banking and finance, labor and employment, litigation, M&A, tax, and white collar. She is the only labor and employment attorney to be recognized in this edition.
A shareholder in Baker Donelson's Jackson office, Ms. Davis-Primer concentrates her practice on employment law and commercial litigation, with a significant focus on partnering with clients to create respectful workplaces that comply with federal, state, and local laws. She provides advice and counsel on all employment issues, but a unique aspect of her employment practice includes collaborating with clients on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. Ms. Davis-Primer works with clients on issues such as creating and evaluating cultural audits and employee surveys used to create DEI initiatives and goals; social media policies; diversity and inclusion policies; and communication strategies surrounding issues relating to DEIA. She frequently partners with clients to create ongoing training programs that raise awareness of and reinforce best practices to create sustainable inclusive workplaces.
In addition to the advice and counsel aspect of her employment practice, Ms. Davis-Primer represents clients in litigation and administrative actions, including proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Unemployment Commission. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has also counseled and advised employers on novel issues relating to leaves and accommodations, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), reductions-in-force, furloughs, COVID-19 exposures and diagnosis, return-to-work protocols, OSHA compliance, vaccination mandates, and COVID-19 testing issues and concerns.
A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, Ms. Davis-Primer has been recognized by the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division as an "On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyer," by the National Black Lawyers as a Top 100 Attorney, and by the Mississippi Business Journal as a Top 10 Finalist in the Top 50 Under 40 Business and Civic Leaders. She has received a number of awards for her service to the bar and her community, including the Outstanding Service Award by the Capital Area Bar Association, where she has served as chair of the Diversity Committee and on the board as a director. She currently serves in a number of roles at the Firm, including as editor of Baker Donelson's Diversity Newsletter and vice chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Ms. Davis-Primer has also been named a "Rising Star" by Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2014, and is listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers as a leading labor and employment lawyer in Mississippi.
"As a leader, Nakimuli is able to effectively and positively guide her teams, drawing out the best in them to achieve their shared goals," said Mark A. Baugh, Baker Donelson's chief diversity and inclusion officer. "She is a well-respected member of any team, whether she is the appointed leader or one of the de facto leaders. Moving our Diversity and Inclusion Initiative forward is a significant task and priority for the Firm, and as vice chair of the Firm's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Nakimuli takes on many of the challenges we face. We're exceedingly proud of this well-deserved recognition by Bloomberg of her outstanding contributions to our Firm, our profession, her community, and her clients."
"Our 40 honorees, a talented group, and a diverse one – in every sense of the word – represent the best of the future of the legal profession," said Lisa Helem, executive editor at Bloomberg Industry Group. "From litigators to dealmakers to intellectual property innovators and beyond, this class consistently solves issues for clients and anticipates the curves in the roads ahead. Leading by example, they're also working to make the legal profession a better reflection of our world."
After the inaugural "They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40" in 2021, Ms. Helem led the publication of the special report for the second year, working with a team of Bloomberg Law editors and reporters who reviewed nominee submissions. A robust field of contenders was evaluated based on criteria including their records of success for clients, how they are executing in the leadership roles they have undertaken, how they balance their legal practice work with pro bono service, and more.
A full list of honorees, along with a Q&A with each attorney and a deep dive into this year's class by the numbers, is available at http://onb-law.com/ZAha50K6han.