Duke’s Steady Legal Hand Bids Farewell

It’s good to say that most of the time when human assets pros and lawyers uncover them selves working alongside one another on some thing, matters have gotten challenging.

Given that 1987, when individuals usually fragile and critical predicaments have transpired, Kate Hendricks, Duke’s deputy standard counsel for labor and employment, has been at the desk, delivering collaborators with knowledge drawn from her deep authorized practical experience and reassurance by means of her innate tranquil self confidence.

“She has a way of keeping anyone even-keeled,” reported Duke Health and fitness System’s Main Human Methods Officer and Senior Vice President Rhonda Brandon, who performs with Hendricks generally. “It’s like when you are on an airplane and you strike turbulence. If you appear at the flight attendant and they are fine, you know you are likely to be Alright.”

At the stop of December 2022, Hendricks will retire from the place she’s been an critical piece of for a few-and-a-fifty percent many years. She’ll depart at the rear of an institution that is routinely cited as a best put to perform, and a community of colleagues and collaborators who have benefitted from her comprehension of the legislation, her know-how about Duke, and her commitment to the men and women who make it go.

“For the associations in between Duke’s employees and the establishment, involving its school and its students, and concerning Duke and anybody who depends on us, rely on and regard are main parts,” claimed Duke Chief Audit, Threat and Compliance Officer Leigh Goller. “Kate has been a faithful steward of both equally.”

When some get the job done has associated scholar problems, investigate collaborations and logos, most of Hendricks’ concentration has been on employment and labor laws. With her sharp memory and deep practical experience, she’s served guideline Duke leaders toward options in normally complex – and normally private – situations involving place of work policies, employment misconduct and union negotiations.

“We are lawyers, we’re in this article to deliver the finest authorized suggestions to Duke,” Hendricks explained. “And we’re finest served by owning a moral compass and earning guaranteed that we’re treating people fairly. You can target on the laws and polices, and the like, but finally, Duke is heading to be best served by treating its workforce, its college students and other people reasonably. You have to preserve that bigger picture in mind.”

Kate HendricksA native of Jackson, Mississippi, Hendricks very first came to Duke as a university student at the Duke College University of Legislation. After graduating in 1983, she put in 4 years doing the job in private practice in Washington, D.C. for a agency which occasionally did work for Duke.

“When I would function on our Duke matters, I held contemplating, ‘You know, I seriously like it down right here,’” Hendricks stated. “When a job chance at Duke turned accessible, I jumped at it and under no circumstances seemed back.”

In 1987, Hendricks joined Duke’s crew of all-around a half-dozen lawyers operating in the decreased stage of the Allen Constructing. At the time, Duke’s workforce was considerably less than 50 % the dimensions it is now, it operated just a single medical center and its globe-course exploration operations were being still taking form.

In the many years to occur, the Duke Office environment of Counsel grew from a handful of attorneys to far more than 20 and Hendricks’ workspace moved from the Allen Creating, to North Pavilion and inevitably the American Tobacco Campus. Together the way, she gathered tales and activities which manufactured her an a must have asset to her colleagues, who sought her steerage when facing advanced challenges.

“You can sit down with Kate and begin chatting about a predicament and she’ll gradually remove her eyeglasses and notify you about cases she remembers from many years back,” claimed Duke Interim Vice President for Human Sources Antwan Lofton. “She’ll go all the way again to the 1980s and can notify you the names of scenarios, and who was in the conferences. You can’t switch that.”

Although she’s seen immense adjust throughout her time at Duke, Hendricks is inspired by the truth that the main values of regard and have confidence in have remained constants. That top quality is what retained her at Duke and some thing she expects will endure prolonged just after her function is accomplished. 

“The individuals I have worked with at Duke have normally been committed to treating people today rather,” Hendricks explained. “If we hadn’t shared that same established of values, I’m not positive I would have been listed here that extended. But that moral compass, I felt that when I very first obtained listed here and proceed to feel that to this working day.”

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