Embracing Differences

D I V E R S I T Y

“We don’t expect everyone to look the same, sound the same, or have the same points of view, because we believe it’s okay to have differences.”

—Laurie Knocke

Growing up in a suburb of Milwaukee did not offer Laurie Knocke many opportunities to meet and interact with persons of color. Milwaukee, like many northern cities, had segregated neighborhoods. It was not until she was 13 and her father, as the president of the local swim club, hired an African-American man as the assistant swim coach that she had the opportunity to really get to know someone of another race.

Years later, as she started her law career as a female litigator, Laurie experienced what it was like to be a minority. In many ways, those events shaped Laurie’s passion for an open, equitable, and inclusive workplace— like the one at Gray Plant Mooty.

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GRAY PLANT MOOTY: YEAR IN REVIEW

“At our firm, you have people from all kinds of backgrounds, with personalities that range from quiet and gentle to bold and exuberant,” says Laurie. “We don’t expect everyone to look the same, sound the same, or have the same points of view, because we believe it’s okay to have differences.”

Laurie chairs Gray Plant Mooty’s Diversity committee. She and her peers on the 17-year-old committee are guided by four core values— respect, belonging, support, and generosity. The committee sponsors diversity education and training programs and seeks opportunities for the firm to promote the success of junior and senior high school

students from diverse backgrounds. That approach, Laurie hopes, will sow seeds that grow into talent, helping to drive the firm’s future success.

“If we want more diversity, I really believe we need to develop it at home,” she says. “Business is quickly becoming more diverse, and we’re already seeing more Minnesota-based clients who have dealings all over the world. Those clients want to know that we understand the cultural nuances they face. So if everyone here looks the same or comes from the same background, that might not provide our clients with comfort that we really do understand their business needs.” 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