MLA Places Danielle Cooper Daughtry as General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs for the National Urban League

Hanover, MD (March 30, 2021) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world’s leading legal search firm, today announced the placement of Danielle Cooper Daughtry as general counsel and senior vice president, legal affairs at the National Urban League in New York. The search was conducted by Kimberly Hulsey, director, and Edina Beasley, managing director, both with MLA’s In-House Counsel Recruiting team in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, the National Urban League has 90 affiliates serving 300 communities in 37 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than two million people nationwide.

Reporting to the president and CEO, Marc Morial, Danielle will advise management on legal issues and risks, recommended courses of action, contract management, interpretation of organization policies and procedures, and negotiation strategies. She will also oversee the organization’s corporate compliance initiatives and related policies and serve as secretary and management liaison to the board of trustees.

“It was an honor to work with such an esteemed civil rights organization and to partner closely with the National Urban League leadership who was deeply committed to identifying the ‘right-fit’ leader throughout this highly competitive nationwide search,” said Kimberly Hulsey. “Danielle brings both significant legal and nonprofit leadership acumen to the role. The depth and strength of her experience and her passion for the organization and its mission make her uniquely qualified for this role. We are confident she will be a huge asset to NUL and the broader civil rights community for years to come,” added Edina Beasley.

Danielle joins the National Urban League after several years with The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished institutions of higher learning, where she most recently served as governance and external affairs officer and secretary to the board of trustees. At Cooper Union, she managed a diverse portfolio of legal, regulatory, contractual and governance matters for the institution and also managed outside counsel. Prior to joining Cooper Union, she served as chief counsel for the 2016 Democratic National Convention Committee and spent 10+ years with MetLife Group as corporate counsel. Danielle began her career as a fellow for the Office of the Appellate Defender, representing indigent convicted felons in their appeals before the First Department of the Appellate Division in New York City. Danielle earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Spellman College.