Notes From the President & CEO
WHAT DOES YOUR WEBSITE SAY ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY?
IN SEEKING TO ILLUSTRATE A REAL COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, MANY FIRMS TALK A GOOD GAME. But their true commitment, or lack thereof, is often illustrated in the most obvious place of all: their firm website. Firm websites are designed to accomplish a number of objectives. Tey aim to grab one’s atten- tion, especially if that someone is a prospective client, provide information about the firm’s areas of specialties, and introduce the firm’s workforce to the world. Te information has to be accessible, concise, and useful. In short, there is very little room for information that does not matter. If something truly is important, you will find it featured prominently on the firm’s site. During my in-house career, I often evaluated firm
pitches that professed a strong commitment to diversity, only to visit their websites and not see it even mentioned. I would just as often see the issue treated as peripheral and given embarrassingly short shrift. In a couple of notable instances, I read language that referred to the hiring of “qualified” minorities, with the demeaning and unfortunate implications that come from such references. Of course, one shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that
simply attaching a brief reference to diversity on one’s site addresses the issue. Te question is whether the information is prominent, substantive, and interwoven with the rest of the firm’s core values and priorities. For example, when I go to
milesstockbridge.com, I see that “promoting diversity” and “creating a palpably inclusive culture” are identified among the firm’s core values. Click on the diversity link at
morganlewis.com and you’ll learn how diversity is an area of “strategic” focus at the firm and you will see a photo and bio of the firm’s diversity professional, something that is too
Publications Staff
President & CEO Joseph K. West
Founder and Publisher Emeritus Lloyd M. Johnson Jr.
Editor-in-Chief Joshua H. Shields
Publishing Consultants Bill Cox Toni Coleman
Advertising Don Cooksey
Design/Art Direction Quad/Graphics Creative Solutions
MCCA® Staff
Jennifer Chen Mahzarine Chinoy David Chu Donna Crook Charles Hollins Brandon M. Fitzgerald Jessica Martinez Andrea Pimm Connie Swindell-Harding
Contributing Writers Azizah Ahmad Tom Calarco Patrick Folliard Dianne Hayes Deborah Epstein Henry Lydia Lum Thomas L. Sager Joshua H. Shields Brianna Williams
rare these days. Other firm websites, like
kirkland.com, provide links to well-written newsletters or illustrate thoughtful committee structures that account for the nuances of racial and gender differences. At others, like
lathropgage.com, you’ll see the commitment illustrated by members of firm leadership co-chairing the firm’s diversity committee. Finally, if you want to see what the future looks like for a serious diversity presence on a firm’s website, set aside two minutes and 29 seconds of your life and view the video that appears under the diversity link at
duanemorris.com. None of these firms will argue the effort to create a
truly diverse and inclusive workforce is finished. But firms that prominently mention their commitment to diversity and inclusion on their websites have shown, in the most visible manner possible, that the issues are important to them and that is a great place to start.
JOSEPH K. WEST President & CEO
MCCA_law
www.facebook.com/mcca.law
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52