Embracing Diversity & Inclusion

Transcription

1 Embracing Diversity & Inclusion

2 Understanding the law is just the first step toward addressing legal challenges. Attorneys also need to understand their clients and the communities they serve. To make these vital connections, Saul Ewing is committed to hiring diverse attorneys and encouraging an environment that supports diversity and inclusion across the firm. By bringing together attorneys and staff who represent different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and backgrounds, the firm draws on a breadth of experiences to enrich the quality of services provided to clients. Saul Ewing s aim is to not only address the legal needs of clients but reflect their values in the firm s representation of their interests, including the desire to enhance diversity and inclusion within their own businesses. To help clients fulfill this objective, Saul Ewing staffs legal matters with diverse attorneys and works with minorityowned businesses to supplement the firm s legal services. Diverse attorneys, including women, hold prominent leadership positions within the firm. Maintaining strong relationships with diversity-focused organizations further connects Saul Ewing to the increasingly diverse communities that the firm serves. By embracing diversity and inclusion as core values, Saul Ewing encourages a culture in which different viewpoints are sought, heard and respected and each attorney regardless of his or her background has an equal opportunity for advancement and professional development.

3 Diversity & Inclusion Vision Statement Without diversity, we would all look the same, act the same and think the same. At Saul Ewing LLP, we strive to be a leader among peer law firms in our diversity and inclusion initiatives. We are proudly committed to diversity and to providing equal opportunities for all to succeed. We define diversity broadly as the differences among people, including race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, language and experiences. We recognize that diversity among our attorneys and staff enriches the quality of the services the firm provides to our clients. We appreciate that every employee is a vital part of the organization, and we understand that diversity throughout the entire firm is essential to our continued success. Defining Diversity Saul Ewing s definition of diversity extends beyond the traditional categories of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and identity, disability and religion. Differences stemming from life inside and outside the office also define each partner, associate and staff member. This includes years of experience on the job, roles within family, commitments to the community through military service and volunteer work, and more. Collectively, these experiences create a law firm with a breadth of thinking and work styles that ultimately benefit the client. Investing in Diversity & Inclusion Saul Ewing s investment in diversity and inclusion begins with a Strategic Plan and a Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The Strategic Plan is part of the overall firm business plan that sets standards for client service and outlines specific strategies for recruiting, hiring and retaining diverse attorneys and staff members and helping them advance. The Diversity & Inclusion Committee includes leadership from Saul Ewing s Executive Committee and standing firm committees, such as those focused on hiring, performance evaluations, career development and the summer intern program. Firm administrators including our Baltimore Office Manager, Director of Attorney Recruiting and Manager of Attorney Recruiting are also members. Organizing an annual firm-wide Diversity & Inclusion Retreat, supporting affinity groups, and partnering with clients, bar associations and diversity-focused organizations to help address the challenges of diversity in the practice of law are among the committee s key contributions. Training for Diversity & Inclusion Saul Ewing s annual Diversity & Inclusion Retreat brings together firm attorneys and managers and often clients for a day of fellowship, education, substantive training and networking. Past retreats have featured nationally known speakers who focus on diversity and inclusion issues, particularly in the business community. Following these presentations, participants explore additional topics designed to help the firm meet internal and external diversity and inclusion goals. This includes understanding why clients demand diversity and inclusion from Saul Ewing and what the firm s attorneys can do to help achieve our own diversity goals.

4 Reinforcing Diversity & Inclusion Saul Ewing understands that sometimes diverse attorneys and staff members want and need support from others who understand their unique perspectives and challenges. To foster these ties and reinforce the firm s commitment to these team members the firm has established the following affinity groups: Women s Development Initiative (WDI) The WDI supports the recruitment, retention and advancement of women to partnership and leadership positions, and encourages firm leadership to promote women and to ensure that women serve on client teams. Its mission is To Maximize Women s Contributions to the Firm. Led by a Steering Committee of women from across the firm s regional footprint, the WDI regularly hosts firm-wide events to foster client and internal relationships, and sponsors speakers and training designed to teach all firm attorneys collaborative leadership and client service skills that advance firm goals. The WDI has been widely recognized for its dynamism and energy by both national and regional organizations, and regularly receives awards for its efforts in fostering, promoting and celebrating women. The Diversity & Inclusion Retreat truly demonstrates the top-down support for diversity and inclusion at Saul Ewing. The retreat provides a forum for discussing diversity and inclusion as it relates to daily life at the firm and our clients' needs. We hear from outside counsel about what our clients want in terms of law firm diversity and the training exercises provide a safe haven for attorneys and staff to provide candid feedback about life at the firm. - Michelle N. Lipkowitz, Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Affinity Group The LGBT group is comprised of attorneys from several offices, and all attorneys are welcome to join. Members work together to create a support network to ensure LGBT attorneys and summer associates have equal opportunities for advancement and professional development. The group works toward these goals on two levels: with firm management and with lawyers identifying as LGBT. The group organizes social and networking events for LGBT attorneys and their business contacts, and provides guidance to the firm on which LGBT events to participate in and sponsor during the year. One of the group s notable achievements is encouraging management to refine employee benefits policies to provide a stipend to those who face a higher Attorney recruiting tax burden related to health insurance coverage for same-sex couples. The firm has provided strategies and practices are a key full medical and other benefits for LGBT spouses and domestic partners for many years and component of Saul Ewing's efforts to has an Equal Employment Opportunity policy that specifically includes gender identity expression expand diversity and inclusion. We fully recognize that achieving a diverse and Minority Lawyers Affinity Group inclusive workplace is a long process that This group provides a support network, mentoring and training for attorneys who are racial or ethnic minorities to ensure they have equal opportunities for advancement and requires determination and sustained effort. professional development. The group also provides a forum for formal and informal open Our commitment to diversity and inclusion communication about challenges faced by minority lawyers. remains strong. Flex-Time Lawyers Affinity Group - Jennifer K. Peterson, This group supports partners and associates who take advantage of the firm s Flexible Working Arrangement Policy. This policy enables attorneys who have at least two years of Chief Operating Officer experience to work part-time, telecommute or otherwise work from outside the office on a regular basis.

5 Supporting Diversity & Inclusion in our Communities Saul Ewing deepens its relationship with clients by supporting organizations and programs that further our shared commitment to diversity and inclusion. This support includes sponsoring events and participating in local and regional roundtables and programming. This involvement includes: Organizations Minority Corporate Counsel Association Corporate Counsel Women of Color Philadelphia Diversity Law Group Washington D.C. Commercial Real Estate Women National Association of Women Lawyers Foundation Women s Initiatives Task Force of the Philadelphia Bar Association National Bar Association Asian Pacific American Bar Association South Asian Bar Association Events & Programs National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Southeast Regional Conference Dauphin County Minority Job Fair Delaware Minority Job Fair Philadelphia Area Diversity Job Fair Greater Baltimore Committee Bridging the Gap Achievement Awards Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy Washington Area Legal Recruitment Administrators Association Annual Diversity Networking Event Pennsylvania Bar Association Diversity Summit National Symposium on Diversity University of Maryland Carey School of Law Black Law Students Association Scholarship & Awards Banquet Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Diversity Banquet University of Baltimore School of Law Diversity Symposium Black Law Students Association Banquet Women Lawyers as Leaders Initiative Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service New York State Bar Association Celebrating Diversity in the Bar Reception Equality Forum National LGBT Bar Association Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair South Asian Bar Association of D.C. Public Interest Fellowship Thurgood Marshall Opportunity Program Honoring Diversity & Inclusion Accomplishments Saul Ewing s commitment to diversity and inclusion has earned the firm the following regional and national recognition: Finalist, Diversity Firm of the Year, Benchmark Litigation, 2013 Diversity Firm of the Year, Black Law Students Association at the University of Baltimore School of Law, 2013 Firm Diversity Award, Black Law Students Association at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, 2012 Gold Standard Certification Award from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), 2011 Honor Roll of Legal Organizations Welcoming Women Professionals, Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2013, 2011, 2009

6 CONTACT To learn more about Saul Ewing s commitment to diversity and inclusion, please contact: Michelle N. Lipkowitz Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee [email protected] Indira K. Sharma Vice Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee [email protected] Additional information is also available on the Diversity link on Saul Ewing s website: To inquire about career opportunities at Saul Ewing, please contact: Meri Kahan Manager, Attorney Recruiting [email protected] Additional information is also available on the Career link on Saul Ewing s website: Under the rules of certain jurisdictions, this communication may constitute Attorney Advertising Saul Ewing LLP, a Delaware Limited Liability Partnership. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Photography by JJ Tiziou Jacques-Jean Tiziou/ DELAWARE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS NEW JERSEY NEW YORK PENNSYLVANIA WASHINGTON, DC