WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Mary E. Snapp, Board Chair of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), announced that Joseph K. West, currently an Associate General Counsel at Walmart, has been selected as the association's new President and CEO, effective September 12. ?

Besides 25 years of legal experience, West has extensive knowledge and involvement in diversity matters. He is a nationally recognized leader on diversity and inclusion issues, in addition to managing Walmart's diversity efforts. He has served on the ABA's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, presented at MCCA events and was honored for his diversity efforts by the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms.

"Joe brings a broad range of experience to this position as an accomplished attorney and the knowledge of in-house and outside counsel challenges, and the workings of legal associations and nonprofit organizations," said Snapp, Corporate VP and Deputy General Counsel of Microsoft Corporation. ?"He brings extensive governmental, corporate and legal perspectives. The Board and I are excited about this new stage in MCCA's development and look forward to working with him." ?

As an AGC at Walmart since 2007, West has been responsible for managing all aspects of Walmart's relationship with its 600 external law firms, as well as the legal department's efforts to help increase inclusiveness for diverse attorneys internally and with these law firms.

"Joe has been an important contributor to our diversity initiatives. We are thrilled that he has the opportunity to continue work on diversity with an outstanding organization like MCCA, but we are sorry to see him leave Walmart," said Jeff Gearhart, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Walmart. "We wish Joe the best in his new role and look forward to continuing to work together with MCCA under his leadership."

"I am honored and humbled to have been selected to lead MCCA, an organization for which I have a tremendous respect," said West. "I believe my experiences will ensure that I focus on collaboration with all of MCCA's stakeholders. ?While working at Walmart, I learned the importance of appreciating and nurturing the wealth of talent that is represented by diverse attorneys. I am confident that those insights will help us to achieve MCCA's mission."

West was named the "Inside Counsel of the Year" in 2011 by the National Bar Association, Commercial Law Section for his diversity contributions. In 2010, West was appointed to the ABA's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession and served as the co-chair of the ABA Minority Counsel Program and its Spirit of Excellence Award.

Prior to Walmart, West worked in the legal department of Entergy Corporation. ?West obtained his law degree in 1986 from Tulane Law School. From graduation until 1999, he maintained an active trial practice at a variety of law firms.

The mission of the MCCA is to advance the hiring, retention, and promotion of diverse attorneys in legal departments and the law firms that serve them. ?Visit mcca.com

SOURCE Minority Corporate Counsel Association