Baker Donelson attorneys Nakimuli Davis-Primer, Carmalita "CC" Carletos-Drayton, and Mary Wu Tullis have been named by Lawyers of Color to lists honoring attorneys across the U.S. who show promise in their careers and demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession.
Lawyers of Color, a nonprofit devoted to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities, named Ms. Davis-Primer and Ms. Drayton to its inaugural Wonderful Women list, which recognizes dynamic women attorneys, and named Ms. Tullis to its annual Hot List, which recognizes junior- and mid-level attorneys.
Ms. Davis-Primer, a shareholder in Baker Donelson's Jackson office, concentrates her practice on employment law, with a significant focus on partnering with clients to create respectful workplaces that comply with federal, state, and local laws. Ms. Davis-Primer provides advice and counsel on all employment issues, routinely helps clients assess legal risks associated with employment-related decisions and develop creative solutions that align with the company's goals, trains leadership and management, and conducts internal investigations. Another aspect of Ms. Davis-Primer's employment practice includes collaborating with clients on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, including creating and evaluating cultural audits and employee surveys used to create DEIA 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 inclusive workplaces.
In addition to the advice and counsel aspect of her employment practice, Ms. Davis-Primer routinely represents clients in administrative actions and litigation in federal and state courts. This includes handling commercial litigation matters and single- and-multi-plaintiff litigation matters.
A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, Ms. Davis-Primer was a law clerk to the Honorable Leslie H. Southwick of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit prior to beginning her practice. She has received a number of recognitions, including being recognized by the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division as an "On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyer," in Bloomberg Law's "They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40," by the National Black Lawyers as a Top 100 Attorney, by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association as a "Rising Star," and by the Mississippi Business Journal as a Top 10 Finalist in the Top 50 Under 40 Business and Civic Leaders. Ms. Davis-Primer has also received numerous 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, vice chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and co-chair of the Minority Business Development Committee. Ms. Davis-Primer has also been selected to Mid-South Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" list since 2014, and is listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers as a leading labor and employment lawyer in Mississippi.
Ms. Drayton, a shareholder in the Memphis office and a member of Baker Donelson's Board of Directors, represents government entities and corporations that interact with government entities. As a member of the Firm's Real Estate and Environmental practices, she focuses on commercial real estate transactions involving government entities, land use and zoning matters, economic development matters related to "PILOT" (payment-in-lieu-of taxes) transactions, and local and state government incentives. Her environmental law practice has an emphasis on Brownfield Agreements, violations of the Clean Water Act, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits involving the operation and maintenance of sanitary sewer systems.
A graduate of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Ms. Drayton is a member of the Memphis Bar Association and a graduate of its annual leadership forum. She is a fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation and a member of the American Bar Association. Ms. Drayton serves as co-chair of the Retention Committee that is part of the Baker Donelson Women's Initiative Committee and is a member of the Firm's Recruiting Committee. She has been recognized by the Memphis Business Journal among its "Super Women in Business" and "Best of the Bar" honorees.
Ms. Tullis, who is also a shareholder in the Memphis office, has a diverse litigation and counseling practice, handling contractual disputes, tax liability litigation, product liability litigation, and labor and employment issues for financial institutions, health care entities, insurance companies, and businesses. She also frequently counsels clients through contract negotiations and advises on risk exposure. Ms. Tullis regularly defends clients in a variety of business-related litigation matters in state and federal courts. Her experience includes representing financial institutions and businesses with commercial disputes, and defending them in consumer-related litigation and class actions alleging federal law claims.
Ms. Tullis is listed in Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" and has been named by Super Lawyers to its Mid-South Rising Stars list. She has also been recognized by the Memphis Business Journal among its "Best of the Bar" and "Top 40 Under 40." Ms. Tullis is a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, and the Memphis Bar Association. She serves as the chair of the Recruiting Committee and is part of the leadership team of the Firm's Women's Initiative, as well as the Firm's Diversity Committee.