Diversity

‘Stealing Buddha’s Dinner’ a Must-Read at One Michigan Law Firm

Stealing Buddha’s Dinner probably isn’t a book you’d expect to see on the desks of most lawyers. But it’s a common sight at one 200-attorney Michigan law firm that has launched a “one book, one firm” reading group. Overseen by Rodney Martin, a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd who…

Sep 18, 2008 3:36 PM CDT

Big Minority-Owned Firm Acquires Another Small One

One of the largest minority-owned law firms in the country is acquiring a smaller one, in the latest step in its ongoing growth plan. Adorno & Yoss, which is headquartered in Miami, will acquire Houston-based Monty Partners before the end of the year, reports the National Law Journal, in an…

Sep 10, 2008 6:32 PM CDT

More Women Partners Break Through Glass Ceiling in UK

Despite a difficult economy, more women than ever before are becoming partners at the 100 largest firms in the United Kingdom. “There are still far fewer female lawyers than male, but ratios at U.K. firms are improving, with 19.6 percent of partners in the top 100 firms now female. This…

Sep 9, 2008 9:44 PM CDT

One of World’s Biggest Law Firms Seeks Image Upgrade

Clifford Chance is one of the world’s biggest law firms, with more than 2,800 lawyers on its attorney roster and an average profit per equity partner of nearly $2 million last year. But to truly reach its top potential in the long run, the firm says in a recent report,…

Sep 5, 2008 9:37 PM CDT

Minority-Owned Midwest Firm Opens NYC Office

A 75-attorney law firm based in Milwaukee, Wisc., has opened a New York City office that will be run by two newly acquired partners. Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan announced the establishment of its ninth office today, reports the Business Journal of Milwaukee. It will be run by Philip Berg and…

Aug 27, 2008 10:49 PM CDT

New ABA Guide Helps Law Firms Objectively Evaluate Female Associates

Law firms often lament the difficulty of retaining female attorneys, as the number of women partners continues to lag. But even those who mean well can fall victim to unconscious stereotyping, making it more difficult for women to rise through the law firm ranks, according to a book recently published…

Aug 21, 2008 11:53 PM CDT

Black New York Law Partners Backing Obama

The number of black law partners in New York City firms is around 125, and a significant number are interested in helping Barack Obama. Jeh Johnson, an Obama fund-raiser and policy adviser, is a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He asked the black partners group to meet…

Aug 14, 2008 3:58 PM CDT

Is Your Firm on Working Mother’s Best of 2008 List?

Noting that the legal profession is in a “work/life crisis” with 78 percent of associates leaving firms by year five and nearly half of women lawyers leaving the profession altogether, Working Mother magazine has released its 2nd annual list of the 50 Best Law Firms for Women. The August/September issue…

Aug 12, 2008 11:33 AM CDT

Ellis Island Stirs Memories at TIPS Event

With historic Ellis Island as the backdrop, outgoing Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section chair Peter Bennett kicked off the section’s meeting Friday night by reinforcing his commitment to diversity. Bennett, of the Portland, Maine-based Bennett Law Firm, told hundreds of members that it was fitting that Ellis Island served…

Aug 9, 2008 12:25 PM CDT

‘Micro-Inequities’ Have Big Workplace Impact

Eric Tate says everyone has experienced “micro-inequities” in the workplace, and he is no exception. Tate, a partner at Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco, recalls an incident that occurred when he was the only African-American associate at the law firm’s Palo Alto, Calif., office. A secretary mistook him for…

Aug 7, 2008 11:03 PM CDT

Female GCs at Fortune 500 Cos. Double in Last Decade

The number of top women lawyers at Fortune 500 companies has risen to 92 from 44 when the Minority Corporate Counsel Association first started counting nearly 10 years ago. The state with the largest number of female GCs is New York, which has 14, followed by 11 in California, eight…

Aug 7, 2008 11:07 AM CDT

A Law Firm Ditches the Lockstep System and Retains More Women

A law firm that replaced lockstep promotions with a system based on competency has seen the percentage of women lawyers leaving the firm drop below that of men. Husch Blackwell Sanders had an average annual attrition of about 30 percent when it had the old lockstep system. Under the new…

Jul 31, 2008 11:04 AM CDT

Associate Who Sued Firm for Gay Bias Moves to Clifford Chance

An associate who sued his law firm and won a settlement for gay bias has landed new employment. Aaron Charney will be working at Clifford Chance in New York as a fifth-year mergers and acquisitions associate, the New York Law Journal reports. A spokesman confirmed the hire and said Charney…

Jul 29, 2008 12:10 PM CDT

Microsoft’s Outside Counsel Can Earn a Bonus for Increasing Diversity

Microsoft will pay its preferred outside counsel a 2 percent bonus if they meet diversity goals. The program allows law firms to earn the annual bonus in two ways, reports The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times. One way is to increase the number of hours that women and minorities…

Jul 25, 2008 12:26 PM CDT

Orrick Partner Says Law Firms Must Change Promotion and Billing Structures

A partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe endorses part-time work options at law firms, but she says it isn’t nearly enough to satisfy the new generation of lawyers. Patricia Gillette, a San Francisco partner in employment law, said law firms need to completely change promotion structures, create multiple paths to…

Jul 18, 2008 3:32 PM CDT