At HGD Law Firm, we believe that delivering the highest-level legal experience for our clients goes hand-in-hand with cultivating a culture where every team member can grow, thrive, and lead. In furtherance of that vision, we are pleased to announce several key role transitions within our leadership team—each designed to sharpen our client experience, strengthen our internal systems, and support professional development across our 16 attorneys and 30-person support team.
New Roles
- Catherine Davis will transition into the role of Marketing and Client Experience Coordinator. In this capacity, Catherine will lead the execution of HGD’s marketing efforts while also refining how clients move through their journey—from initial intake through case management to resolution and beyond. She will collaborate across teams to ensure a seamless, white-glove service model that reflects our commitment to excellence and client-centered practice.
- Mary Ashton Byrd will assume the role of Head of HR & Culture. Mary Ashton will oversee the design and execution of our human resources strategy, our cultural initiatives, and programs that support training, engagement, and the professional development of our entire team.
- Tzena Gauldin will move into the Director of Firm Operations, with strategic oversight responsibility for Marketing, Client Experience, HR, Culture, and Systems Administration. In this expanded leadership role, Tzena will connect the dots between how we serve clients, how we support and develop our people, and how we build strong operational systems that scale our mission sustainably.
Why This Matters
These changes reflect a deliberate investment in our internal capabilities so that we, as a firm, continue to evolve and improve. Research shows that when the functions of HR, marketing, culture, and operations are aligned, organizations are more effective at delivering consistent brand and service experience, and at engaging employees in a meaningful way.
By elevating these roles, HGD is doubling down on:
- Continuous improvement: We are formalizing the structures and leadership needed to advance our systems, training, client service processes, and team experience.
- Professional development and career growth: These transitions open additional leadership lanes within the firm, helping talented team members see a clear path of growth and honing their skills in marketing, client experience, culture, and operational management.
- Client-first excellence: Optimizing our internal systems and leadership directly benefits our clients. With stronger oversight of client experience and operations, we can deliver even more predictable, high-touch service, streamlined processes, and ultimately the best possible outcome for each person we serve.
What Our Team Can Expect
- Catherine, Mary Ashton, and Tzena will work closely in the coming weeks to review our current processes, identify opportunities for enhancement, and develop a roadmap for training, team engagement, and client service workflow improvements.
- We will launch new internal professional development modules, peer mentoring, and cross-functional training programs to help our support team and attorneys grow.
- We will enhance feedback loops—particularly between client experience, marketing, and culture/HR—to ensure that insights from client engagement, team experience, and operational performance inform each other.
A Look Ahead
Our evolution continues—this round of role expansion is one part of our ongoing journey to set new standards of legal service, sustain a high-performance culture, and build an environment where every team member is supported to thrive.
We believe that by strengthening our internal operations, we strengthen our external service to clients, resulting in better outcomes, clearer communication, trustworthy guidance, and a service experience that reflects our values: Client-Centered, Integrity-Driven, Respectful, Committed, Leadership-Oriented, Excellence-Focused (CIRCLE).
We are excited about the future of HGD and about what we will achieve together for our clients and our team.
