Local Footprint Global Perspective

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Merry Hopkins
8 years ago
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1 Local Footprint Global Perspective We practice law throughout the Pacific Rim, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, California and China. Our alliance with Duan & Duan, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong, gives us exceptional and distinct abilities to represent clients doing business on either side of the Pacific providing one-stop legal counsel through an indigenous resource. Our lawyers may speak the language of the Court, but they also speak, English, Filipino/Tagalog, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Marathi, Portuguese and Spanish.

2 Diversity At Williams Kastner, our objective is the same, whether it is in client representation or reflecting the diversity of the world Don t just strive achieve. Williams Kastner has a long-standing passionate commitment to diversity. As a firm, we embrace diversity through our statement of values our firm s policy statement, our people, our work and our support for, and participation in, community programs and projects which foster diversity. The policy statement for Williams Kastner outlines this commitment as part of its strategic plan: Williams Kastner s strategic plan requires all aspects of human diversity amongst the persons who are its owners and employees. In order to obtain diversity we must actively seek it. Each element and activity of recruitment and hiring for employment must take diversity into consideration. In order to maintain and nurture diversity, each of us must not only understand and tolerate the differences between ourselves and those with whom we work, but more importantly, we must outwardly manifest our desire to embrace those differences as a positive good benefiting everyone. This understanding and appreciation must be reflected positively by our everyday words and deeds. Finally, we must understand that as an organization, these very differences will provide the excellence we seek in our practitioners and support staff that will give us a competitive edge in the delivery of client services. Our commitment to diversity shapes our firm s culture, dynamic, workforce, and approach to business.

3 Diversity Measurable Success In 1999, the Washington State Bar Association awarded Williams Kastner the prestigious Affirmative Action Award in recognition of the firm s commitment to diversity in its hiring practices. As the following statistics indicate, Williams Kastner continues to promote diversity, ranking above the national average of law firms for its employment of female attorneys and attorneys of color. (Source: 2004 National Association for Law Placement Foundation survey). Associates/Sr. Attorneys Minorities Partners/Members Women Williams Kastner 17.39% Nationwide* 15.06% Firms of 100 or less* 11.35% Greater Seattle Area** 14.56% Williams Kastner 25% Nationwide* 17.06% Firms of 100 or less* 16.64% Greater Seattle Area** 19.07% * Reflects all firms nationwide / ** Reflects all area law firms, including Bellevue and Kirkland Our Leadership Reflects Our Achievements On June 16, 2009, the nation s largest organization of civil defense attorneys DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar renamed its Pioneer Diversity Award after Sheryl J. Willert, long-time DRI leader and Managing Director of Seattle-based Williams Kastner. The honorific was announced at the organization s annual Diversity for Success program in Chicago. The award, now known as the Sheryl J. Willert Pioneer Diversity Award, recognizes an individual attorney for his or her demonstrated commitment to diversity in the legal profession. As a former president of DRI, Ms. Willert, the first woman and lawyer of color to be President of DRI, has been an integral part of DRI s diversity-related successes. Working within DRI, Sheryl has long pressed for significant change both within the organization and throughout the profession, said DRI President Marc E. Williams. It s an understatement, but no member of DRI has done more to advance such a broad range of diversity-related objectives. The announcement came as a surprise to Ms. Willert. I am thankful for both this wonderful recognition and for the support of my colleagues at DRI over the years, she said. Diversity initiatives must be collective efforts if they are to achieve the kind of success that we have achieved. DRI further commemorated the occasion when Raymond M. Williams, chair of DRI s Diversity Committee, presented the first Sheryl J. Willert Pioneer Diversity Award to Victor P. Henderson, Executive Partner of the Chicago office of Holland & Knight, LLP.

4 Promoting Diversity in the Community In 1990, Williams Kastner Senior Member and Managing Director Sheryl J. Willert was the only African-American woman Partner working in the 10 largest law firms in the Puget Sound area. When Ms. Willert was unanimously elected the firm s Managing Partner in 1996 (now called Director), she was one of only a half-dozen women in the country to be honored with such an appointment at firms of comparable size ( From Outsider to Insider, 82 ABA Journal 24 November, 1999). She was also one of only three females to become a Managing Director among the 25 largest law firms in the Pacific Northwest, and the only African-American woman to achieve a Managing Partner position in firms of comparable size in the country. Ms. Willert s accomplishments and personality have truly advanced the cause of women in the legal profession. She has encouraged and inspired women attorneys and removed barriers in a profession dominated by men. Ms. Willert was the first person of color to serve as an officer on the Board of the Defense Research Institute, a national organization of more than 22,000 defense counsel. In 2002 she was elected to the top position, and served as the organization s President. Puget Sound Area Minority Clerkship Program In 1991, Williams Kastner joined other area law firms, the Hispanic and Loren Miller Bar Associations (the latter represents African-American attorneys), and the area s two law schools to found the Puget Sound Area Minority Clerkship Program. Through the PSAMCP, the participating law firms and corporate legal department employers provide summer clerkship positions for minority first-year law students from the University of Washington and Seattle University Schools of Law. Since its inception, the program has seen an increasing number of minority law students join area law firms and corporate legal departments, with at least one participant becoming a judge. Now beginning its seventeenth year, the program is based on the National Minority Clerkship Program, which was designed and endorsed by the American Bar Association s Commission on Opportunities for Minorities in the Profession. It has been endorsed by the Asian, Hispanic, Northwest Indian, and Seattle-King County Bar Associations, and by the University of Washington and Seattle University Law Schools Alumni Associations. In 1997, the PSAMCP received the WSBA s Affirmative Action Award, in recognition of the Program s contributions in creating and advancing career opportunities for minorities in the legal profession.

5 Promoting Diversity in the Community Northwest Minority Job Fair Since its inception in 1986, Williams Kastner has participated in The Northwest Minority Job Fair. This annual event, that features more than 50 law schools from across the country, fosters access to employment opportunities for historically underrepresented persons in the practice of law and provides a networking forum for legal employers and minority law students. Not-for-Profit Organizations Directly Supported by Williams Kastner through Donations and/or Volunteer Work and Participation: Lambda Legal Minority Bar Associations of WA Statewide Diversity Program Sponsor Loren Miller Bar Association Asian Bar Association IMN Native American Finance Conference King County Bar Association Neighborhood Legal Clinics Program Korean American Bar Association We maintain a positive workplace where all attorneys and staff can take pride in our business and commitment to the community. We are proud of our work and proud of the people who comprise our firm. - Sheryl Willert, Managing Director

6 Promoting Diversity in the Community Not-for-Profit Organizations Directly Supported by Williams Kastner Cont. Native American Economic Development Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Northwest Indian Bar Association Puget Sound Minority Clerkship Program United Indians All Tribes Foundation University of Washington Diversity Scholarship Mentoring Program Latino/a Bar Association of WA Scholarship Program Washington State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Women s Funding Alliance Minority Bar Associations of Washington Statewide Diversity Program Washington Law School Foundation Diversity Scholarship Minority Summer Associate Symposium Seattle University School of Law Black Law Students Association Scholarship

DIVERSITY AT GORDON & REES. A Celebration of Commitment, Leadership, Teamwork, Opportunity, and Progress.

DIVERSITY AT GORDON & REES. A Celebration of Commitment, Leadership, Teamwork, Opportunity, and Progress. DIVERSITY AT GORDON & REES A Celebration of Commitment, Leadership, Teamwork, Opportunity, and Progress. In 2005, the Minority Law Journal recognized Gordon & Rees as the biggest gainer in percentage of