Kimberly Gatling: Legal Trailblazer, Community Leader, and A&T Board Chair
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is fortunate to have Kimberly Gatling ‘96, J.D., an award-winning legal leader, at the helm of its Board of Trustees. A distinguished partner and Chief Cultural Engagement Officer at Fox Rothschild LLP, one of the nation’s most respected law firms, she has built an impressive career that spans national and international arenas.
Gatling’s remarkable journey began at North Carolina A&T, where she laid the foundation for a career that would see her practicing law not only in North Carolina but also before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. She is also admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. Her contributions extend far beyond her legal practice, as she has dedicated herself to community service in the Piedmont Triad Region of the state, holding board positions with organizations such as Truliant Federal Credit Union, and Culp, a High Point-based manufacturer. She previously held board positions with the Cone Health Foundation, United Way of Greater Greensboro, Habitat for Humanity, and Gateway Research Center.
“A&T helped me internalize the idea that I had the ability to accomplish whatever I wanted to achieve, as long as I put in the work to realize my dream,” said Gatling. This mindset continues to motivate more than 14,300 students who call A&T their home.
Growing up in Hampton, Virginia, Gatling was influenced by her father, an Aggie alumnus who was an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Langley Air Force Base. His work sparked her interest in science and technology, leading her to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at A&T, graduating cum laude. Her passion for innovation led her to law, and she enrolled in George Washington University Law School where she served on the editorial board for the American Intellectual Property Law Association Quarterly Journal.
After law school, Gatling began her legal career at a boutique law firm focused on intellectual property. Two years later, she joined Smith Moore Leatherwood, another Greensboro firm, and became the first African American partner in the history of that office in 2008. Following Smith Moore’s merger with Fox Rothschild in 2018, she became a key leader at the new firm, practicing in patent law, trademarks, software licensing, and data privacy and security.
In 2020, Gatling stepped into an important new role as Fox Rothschild’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Now serving as the Chief Cultural Engagement Officer, she collaborates with various departments to ensure that the firm cultivates an inclusive environment, fostering both a stronger workplace culture and improved service to clients. She has become a vital leader and advocate at the firm, known for her unwavering support of human rights and emphasizing its moral necessity and business value.
Gatling’s work has earned her significant recognition. Most recently, she was featured in Business North Carolina’s 2024 Power List and the Triad Business Journal’s 2024 Power 50. She was also named the Greensboro Bar Association’s 2024 Centennial Award winner for her exemplary community service.
In 2023, Gatling became chair of her alma mater’s Board of Trustees. Since assuming the role, she has supported the transition of the university’s newest chancellor, James R. Martin II, Ph.D., and worked closely with fellow trustees to provide strategic guidance in areas ranging from budget development to academic affairs. She emphasizes the board’s responsibility in shaping the future of an institution that not only stands as the largest historically Black university in the nation but also produces more African American STEM graduates than any other university in the country. In 2020, Gatling became the first chair of the inaugural Advisory Council on Alumni Relations, a non-fiduciary, non-governing group that works with the Office of Alumni Relations by providing feedback that enhances programming for alumni engagement.
Despite her demanding career, Gatling prioritizes family, balancing her professional life with her role as a wife to LaDaniel “Danny” Gatling, also an A&T engineering graduate, and mother to three sons: Danny III, Fletcher, and Jordan. To maintain balance, she finds peace in swimming and power walking.
For A&T students aspiring to follow her, Gatling offers this advice: “Soak in your time as a student for all its glory. Real life begins after you graduate, and everyone looks back on their undergraduate years especially at A&T as some of the best of their lives.” Her message underscores the importance of cherishing the moment, building lasting relationships, and developing the confidence and leadership skills that will carry them throughout their lives.
Media contact information: dhuggins2@ncat.edu
