DIVERSITY
A
s an active participant in Gray Plant Mooty’s diversity initiatives,
Minneapolis attorney Henry Wang offers a unique perspective on what diversity means to the character, culture, and strategic direction of this law firm. Henry was born in Taiwan, where he spent the first eight years of his life
before moving to the U.S. and settling in the Twin Cities suburb of Eden Prairie with his family. Prior to the move, his parents prepared Henry and his brother for the relocation to this new society by instilling in them the concept that America was the world’s melting pot where people of all races can come together as one. “I had a pretty normal childhood and was warmly embraced by my friends in school,” Henry said. “I played baseball, football, and hockey growing up just like the rest of my friends.”
After high school, Henry attended college in Washington, DC, where he
witnessed a far more diverse population than was present in the suburban area where he grew up. “This experience really opened my eyes,” he said. “The melt- ing pot concept took on a whole new meaning with the diversity of people on the East Coast.”
During the job search process after law school, diversity became a key
criterion for Henry’s selection of where he would build a career. “I remember being impressed with Gray Plant Mooty for being one of the few firms that had a Diversity committee and its own first-year minority law student program, and Gray Plant Mooty was recognized in the legal community as a leader in diversity issues. I knew this would be a place where I would be welcomed and given the opportunity to excel.”
Henry started at Gray Plant Mooty in 2003 and has been active in the
firm’s diversity initiatives ever since. He joined the Diversity committee upon starting at Gray Plant Mooty, and has served as a mentor for the Gray Plant Mooty 1L program for first-year law students of color. He is also active in the Twin Cities Diversity in Practice program, of which Gray Plant Mooty is a founding member, and is on the board of Merrick Community Services, a nonprofit organization that serves citizens in a richly diverse neighborhood on the east side of St. Paul. “The business world is far more diverse than the practice of law, and Gray Plant Mooty is one of those firms that understands the intrinsic and extrinsic values of having a diverse workforce,” Henry said. “There are signs everywhere that this commitment is having an impact. For example, a majority or our attorneys of color are now partners, and our women associates now outnumber the men. From speakers and training to continuous emphasis from our board of directors, it is clear that this firm’s focus on diversity is more steadfast than ever.”
Henry Wang
A Commitment to Diversity
“ The business world is far more diverse than the practice of law, and Gray Plant Mooty is one of those firms that understands the intrinsic and ex- trinsic values of having a diverse workforce.”
19
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