NELC Mourns the Passing of Rafael E. Medina

In 2017, the National Employment Law Council launched The Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship. On August 4, 2019, NELC lost its greatest champion with the passing of our friend, colleague, and board member, Rafael Medina. 

The Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship has enabled NELC to set successive records of in-house attendees at the NELC 2017, 2018, and 2019 annual conferences. As Managing Counsel-Employment at McDonald’s Corporation for many years and a long-time NELC Board and Executive Committee member, Rafael was a true champion for the NELC, its members, and legal diversity. Rafael needed no  studies, task forces or metrics to effect change. He simply made change happen. He hired many of our members as outside counsel for McDonald’s. He sought out minority associates to work on his cases and coached them on how best to serve their clients. He helped many of our members land their first jobs in-house, or to move to better ones. He mentored law students, associates and partners, as well as in-house counsel, from all over the country. He recruited a diverse team of employment lawyers to work with him at McDonald’s and they are now valued members of our NELC family. 

Many of our members have directly and materially benefitted from Rafael’s steadfast commitment to the NELC and its mission. Many of us represent McDonald’s Corporation because Rafael gave us the opportunity to do so. Many of our NELC Academy Fellows relied on Rafael for a recommendation to the Academy, timely career advice, or a well-timed introduction. Many of our in-house members were personally recruited by Rafael to join the NELC and have benefitted from his wisdom and expertise.  

His wife Nuncia has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations to honor Rafael’s legacy be made to The Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship. So, on behalf of his loving wife, Nuncia Medina, and the NELC Board of Directors, we therefore ask that you carry forward Rafael’s tremendous legacy by contributing any amount to The Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship. The funds are used to defray the cost for in-house counsel who otherwise would be unable to obtain budget approval for NELC’s annual conference.

You may make donations either by clicking on this link, or sending your donations to this address:  

NELC c/o Carter DeLorme
51 Louisiana Ave., NW 
Washington, DC 20001

The Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship

Dear Counsel:

Two years ago, the National Employment Law Council launched The Rafael E. Medina In-House Scholarship.  As a result, we have set successive records of in-house attendees at the NELC 2017 and 2018 annual conferences. As you know, Rafael has been Managing Counsel-Employment at McDonald’s Corporation for many years, serves on our NELC Board and its Executive Committee, and has been a true champion for the NELC, its members, and legal diversity.  

Many of our members have directly and materially benefitted from Rafael’s steadfast commitment to the NELC and its mission.  Many of us represent McDonald’s Corporation because Rafael gave us the opportunity to do so.  Many of our NELC Academy Fellows have relied on Rafael for a recommendation to the Academy, timely career advice, or a well-timed introduction.  Many of our in-house members were personally recruited by Rafael to join the NELC and have benefitted from his wisdom and expertise. 

All NELC members have benefitted from Rafael’s passion for our organization and the advancement of lawyers of color in our chosen field. One reason our annual conference continues to improve is that Rafael has been so successful at obtaining major sponsorship dollars.  Through the Rafael E.  Medina In-House Scholarship, we can both honor Rafael and multiply his impact by defraying the cost for in-house counsel who otherwise would be unable to get the budget authority for upcoming conference, April 24 – 26, 2019, in San Diego, CA.  Here is a partial list of the law departments represented at the 2018 Conference in New Orleans:  ASRC Federal Holding Company, Deloitte, Dollar General Corporation, Dropbox, Facebook, FMC Corp., Google LLC, Graphic Packaging International, LLC, GSK, Hospital Corporation of America, Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, McDonald’s Corporation, Morton Salt, Inc., NBCUniversal, Pandora Media, PepsiCo, Salesforce, STREAM, The Fresh Market, Inc., UBER Technologies and Walgreens.