BLSA will also honor Johnnie Booker, retired diversity executive and former global director of supplier diversity for Coca-Cola and former vice president of the Resolution Trust Corporation, with its Community Service Award.

The virtual ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Click here to attend.

In its 33rd year, the Thurgood Marshall Award is given in honor of the first African American to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Marshall epitomized individual commitment, in word and action, to civil rights. Each year, BLSA recognizes an outstanding person in law, education or politics who exemplifies Marshall's dedication to improving society through the advancement of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights.

Hoffler is CEO of a trilingual law firm (English, French and Spanish) based in Atlanta. She specializes in commercial litigation, opioid litigation, catastrophic injury, civil rights, global commercial transactions, medical negligence, wrongful death and employment cases. Hoffler is licensed in Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

To date, Hoffler and her teams have tried and/or settled cases totaling over $800 million. An accomplished attorney, Hoffler was previously a partner at Edmond, Lindsay & Hoffler, LLP and a partner at the Willie Gary Firm in Florida, where she ran the commercial and international litigation practice for 13 years. She is also counsel to civil rights icon The Reverend Jesse Jackson and has represented him and the Rainbow Push and Wall Street Project for the past 30 years.

Hoffler also lectures extensively on trial and best-practices strategies to legal professionals and young lawyers across the nation. She is the immediate past president of the National Bar Association (2020-2021).

Hoffler received her law degree from Georgetown University, a bachelor’s from Smith College and studied at College du Leman, the University of Geneva in Switzerland and Branksome Hall in Canada. She speaks French fluently and is proficient in Spanish and Portuguese. She holds a number of honors and awards for her achievements in law and is active in her community.

Booker’s career has been marked by an extraordinary record of success as a corporate executive, national expert on workforce and supplier diversity and senior federal government official.

As global director of supplier diversity for the Coca-Cola Company, Booker was responsible for developing and implementing the company's supplier diversity program and initiatives to assure equal contracting opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. During her first year with Coca-Cola, contracts with minority-and women-owned businesses increased over the previous year by 50%, exceeding the company's goal by 27%. Under Booker's leadership, the company consistently exceeded its goals for subsequent years, and its supplier diversity profile grew substantially in actual dollars expended and global recognition.

Before joining Coca-Cola, she had a successful career in the federal government, culminating in her role as director of the Office of Equal Opportunity at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), from which she retired in 1996. In 1991, Booker joined the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) as vice president, Division of Minority and Women's Programs.

While at the RTC, Booker created unprecedented contracting and investment opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses and law firms. She commissioned the first disparity study by a federal agency and increased contracting fees for minority- and women-owned businesses from 18% to over 48% and from 3 to 26% for minority- and women-owned law firms. Her work at the RTC served as a model for other federal agencies as well as private companies seeking to establish viable minority procurement programs.

In addition, Booker worked as deputy assistant secretary of fair housing and equal opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She also served in executive capacities with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and the National Urban League.

Booker received a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University, and a master’s from the Atlanta University School of Social Work.