Before creating “Coly Advocacy LLC”, Yolanda Coly started with over a decade of managing and directing the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, Inc., (NAMWOLF), Mrs. Yolanda Coly, secured over two hundred Fortune 500 companies as corporate partners and financial contributors. These corporate partners were companies that commit 5% of their outsourced legal budget to minority and women-owned law firms. Mrs. Coly played an integral role in the creation of the ‘Inclusion Initiative,’ which has helped to generate over $1 billion in expenditures on minority and women owned law firms by its participating companies. Mrs. Coly was one of the advisees on Section 342 of the Dodd Frank Act, to ensure procurement of professional services to include legal. Mrs. Coly worked with merging companies, nationwide, urging them to be mindful of minority and women owned law firms. Mrs. Coly’s personal dedication laid the foundation for respect, inclusion and the retention of minority and women-owned law firms to a degree unimaginable a few years ago.

In 2008, Mrs. Coly was the recipient of the Vatican II Award for her distinguished service to society. In 2012, she was the recipient of The Hinton J. Lucas International Award for promoting Diversity from A Call To Action Canada.

In 2015 the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, presented her with the inaugural annual namesake “Yolanda Coly Advocacy Award”. The Yolanda Coly Award is conveyed to an individual, annually, for exceptional advocacy on behalf of NAMWOLF law firms. Currently, Mrs. Coly is principal of her own consulting group called “Coly Advocacy LLC” which continues to advocate for minority and women in legal. Mrs. Coly serves as co-chair for “A Call To Action Canada” which supports Canadian in-house counsel in advancing inclusion in legal procurement and development.