Melba Hughes is a Partner within our In-House Counsel Recruiting, co-Managing Partner of the Atlanta office and our National In-House Diversity Practice Leader as well as a senior member within Allegis Partners where she leads C-suite executive searches. She works closely with CEOs, CHROs, boards and general counsel to advise on team structure as well as their career paths. She has successfully completed placements throughout the U.S. and internationally with both public and private companies and in a variety of industries. Melba is a strategic business advisor who understands the impact a diverse team can have on a legal department and on an organization as a whole. At the outset of every relationship, she takes a holistic view of a legal team, focusing on its current culture and desired structure, to help build a high-performing team with complimentary skill sets and diverse perspectives. Melba knows that having a variety of perspectives on a team enables better decision-making. In part, this knowledge informs and explains her tremendous success in working with legal teams and in advising their leadership. As our National In-House Diversity Practice Leader and a member of our In-House D&I Committee, Melba employs her knowledge and expertise to devise and implement programs that promote diversity and inclusion with the candidate slates she presents, clients and, ultimately, the broader legal industry. Melba lives in Midtown Atlanta with her husband, James B. Hughes Jr., a law professor with Emory University School of Law. A native of Jamaica, she appreciates Caribbean history, foreign travel and World Cup soccer. She enjoys cooking, music, gardening and the beach. Her favorite spot at home is the front porch with a good book and a cup of coffee.