Introducing: Keith!

-- by Jessie Gabriel and Keith Geddings

I once heard an experienced entrepreneur say that you should never hire anyone unless you feel like they are the perfect person for the position. This is particularly true when you’re a young company, and each hire is incredibly consequential. This is what I had in mind going into our hiring process late last year. We needed a fund lawyer with Big Law experience, a bright and creative mind, passion for our mission, and high EQ. Lucky for us, we found someone with those qualities and so much more. Please meet our new associate, Keith Geddings!

You came to us from Big Law. What made you choose All Places? 

Two things come to mind. First, I was ready to work more directly with clients and their business teams so that I could feel more a part of them achieving their goals. Secondly, I love being part of a mission-driven organization. The opportunity to align my day-to-day work with the change I want to see in the world, namely more opportunities for women to access and allocate capital, and build meaningful businesses, was one I had to jump at. 

How is working here different from your experiences (or your friends’ experiences) at other firms? 

The breadth of my work has meaningfully expanded. I counsel clients on a range of corporate matters, including partnership agreements and protecting their brands in trade, in addition to advising on investment fund matters and transactions, which is my background. I think I have a deeper understanding of clients and their businesses as a byproduct of addressing more of their legal needs. I have also spent more time speaking with clients directly, which is a nice perk.   

You took some time between college and law school. What were you doing and what from those experiences do you bring to your work as a lawyer? 

I worked as a consultant and then in the compliance department of an investment bank. Consulting, like law, trains you to prioritize your clients’ needs, which remains a core component of what I do as a lawyer. My time at the bank helped me grasp how legal and regulatory frameworks applied to the bank’s business, and as a lawyer, I help companies navigate evolving legal and regulatory environments.  

The name of our firm comes from a quote from the late, great Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” What is a quote that is particularly meaningful to you and why?

I grew up in a world where I saw my mom and my grandmothers routinely excluded from conversations about money and business solely because they were women. It struck me as inherently unfair. Then and now, some of the most brilliant, capable, and impactful people in my life have been and remain women. This RBG quote illuminates the inequity I observed then and the conviction I’ve always held, which is that women should be both contributors and decision makers.

You’ve shared with us the importance of education to you. Where does that come from? 

The women in my life! I had one grandmother who was an immigrant from Trinidad & Tobago and another who was a librarian. They, along with my mom, instilled in me the importance of education at an early age. I’ve also seen and experienced how education can serve as a bedrock for confidence and personal-agency, and I think those attributes are important for all of us to develop.    

How do you like to spend your time out of the office?

I cook at least one meal every day, and I hit the gym before work most days. There’s always at least one book on my end table, and it’s rare that I let a weekend slide by without getting together with or hosting a dinner for friends.

Anything else you’d like our community to know about you?

I love to be a resource. Whether it’s something I know and can share or someone I can introduce you to, I get a lot of value from connecting people with resources.