|
Diversity in our Firm. There is a reason we consistently rank among the top firms in the United States for diversity in the legal profession. Diversity is part of who we are, and we work hard to keep it that way.
We were the first AmLaw 100 firm to elect a woman as chair. Chevron Corporation honored us with its first Law Firm Diversity Recognition Award in 2005, and a repeat award in 2006. In 2007, our firm has won the California Minority Counsel Program's Drucilla Stender Ramey Award for diversity and we are ranked among the nation's top 10 law firms for diversity by the Vault career guides.
Diversity Committee. Pillsbury’s Diversity Committee includes firm leaders recognized in the legal community for their commitment. The leader of our committee, Kevin Fong, served on the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. Our Diversity Committee sponsors networks for the firm’s African-American, Asian-American, Latino, LGBT and Women Attorneys. We work closely with organizations in the community, law schools, bar associations and minority organizations to further our shared goals. We do this through financial support, volunteerism and pro bono activities.
We also closely align our diversity initiatives with our recruiting efforts. The firmwide Recruiting Committee is supported by LGBT and Minority Attorney subcommittees that actively sponsor job fairs and support local and national organizations.
Career Building. The foundation of a meaningful diversity program is good communication—with each other and with our clients. We hold firmwide retreats, discussion groups, affinity-based book clubs, and other career-building activities for minority, women and LGBT attorneys. Our firm also partners with clients who share our commitment to recruiting, retention and development of a diverse workforce. We hold networking events with clients and explore opportunities for diverse staffing of cases and transactions. We also include clients in discussion groups focused on fostering diversity. Some of the best ideas have come from these meetings and from our own associates, and we are proud to have adopted these initiatives.
Supportive Benefit Policies. Work-life balance is part of the dialogue when the focus is on retention and promotion of women. But this balance is important to all of us. Pillsbury has been a leader in adopting generous and inclusive policies. We were one of the first to adopt a part-time policy for attorneys and to extend benefits to domestic partners. Today, we offer domestic partners of our attorneys and staff the same benefits that we offer to the spouses of attorneys and staff. In addition, attorneys who adopt or have children through surrogacy are eligible for up to 18 weeks leave, the same as under our pregnancy leave policy.
Minority Attorneys in the Firm. Our firm has one of the largest groups of minority partners of any law firm in the country. A number of firm committees have been chaired by minority partners, including the firm’s Recruitment Committee and our Attorney Development Committee (which reviews the performance of all non-partner attorneys and recommends admission of partners). Minority partners also sit on our Partner Compensation Committee, and serve as managing partners in larger offices.
.gif) Women in the Firm. Pillsbury has built a positive workplace for women, now recognized as one of the 100 Best Companies for working mothers by Working Mother magazine. Four of our offices are led by women managing partners. And women serve in leadership positions on our managing board and as practice section leaders. Key committees are chaired by women, including the Associate Development Committee. The Vault career guide ranked Pillsbury among the top 20 U.S. law firms for women in both 2005 and 2006.
.gif) Gay and Lesbian Attorneys in the Firm. Pillsbury prides itself on promoting an inclusive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) attorneys and staff, and is honored to have received a perfect 100% score on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Openly gay and lesbian attorneys hold important management positions throughout the firm and serve as leaders of key firm committees. An LGBT subcommittee participates in the Recruitment Committee and works to organize internal events, mentoring, training and pro bono activities as well as community outreach.
Promoting Diversity in the Profession. Pillsbury lawyers are active leaders in efforts to promote diversity in the profession. Members of our firm have served as chair of the California Minority Counsel Program, as president of the Asian Pacific Bar of California, and on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. Our lawyers have chaired the “No Glass Ceiling” task force of the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Committee on Women and the Law for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.
The Future. Diversity and inclusion have always been hallmarks of our firm. Over the past decade, law firm diversity has become increasingly important to the firm’s current and potential clients. Today, almost all RFPs for legal services ask about diversity statistics, programs and the diversity of the team that will be serving the client. So, besides being part of who we are, diversity and inclusion have become a business imperative. This has been a welcome development. It encourages partnership with clients and inspires our lawyers and staff to pay even closer attention to the actions that will help us strengthen our diversity, and in the process, improve our firm and our business.
|
