SANTA MONICA, MAY 9, 2018–Jeffrey Harleston, General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Universal Music Group (UMG), was honored last night by the Southern California chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) as the recipient of the organization’s 2018 Diversity Award.

Alex J. Berliner/ABImages

The award was presented to Harleston during the ACC’s 23rdAnnual Gala Dinner at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, which featured a keynote address by President Barak Obama. The ACC Diversity Award recognizes leaders within the in-house Southern California legal community who are committed and empowered to improve the diversity of the legal community in Southern California.

In addition to serving as a member of UMG’s senior executive team and the company’s Executive Management Board, Harleston devotes significant time to mentor employees from around the world, fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion.

“I am honored to accept this award and to be recognized for the role I have been able to play in helping to diversify the legal community in Southern California,” Harleston said. “There continues to be a pressing need for more diversity in the music industry and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to make meaningful change.”

Harleston has been recognized for his many achievements including being named as one of Ebony magazine’s “Power 100” in 2017, and he has been annually recognized by Billboard on the magazine’s Power 100 list, which ranks the most powerful executives in the music industry. In 2016, Harleston received the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts’ Champion of the Arts Award, and in 2015, he was named Entertainment Attorney of the Year by the National Bar Association as well as presented with the Music Label Executive Award by the Living Legends Foundation. In 2012, Harleston was added to the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Hall of Fame.

Harleston’s career at UMG spans 25 years and roles with increasing levels of responsibility, including President/Head of Operations for Geffen Records and SVP of Business & Legal Affairs for MCA Records. He has worked with a number of artists including Common, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige, among many others.   He is a board member of the Recording Industry Association of America and SoundExchange. Harleston is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Williams College. His charitable contributions include serving on the board of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and he helped found the Universal/Motown Fund, an endowment focused on providing financial aid for R&B artist from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. He is also a member of The Recording Academy’s MusiCares Foundation’s board of directors.

Harleston received a B.A. in Political Science from Williams College and a J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. Featuring the most comprehensive catalog of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. Universal Music Group is a Vivendi company. Find out more at: http://www.universalmusic.com.

Date: