A N N U A L R E P O RT 2 0 15
ENHANCING THE CORE PROGRAM &
TRANSITIONING TO NEW LEADERSHIP
. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:
A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP
Shortly after I started at Duane Morris almost 25 years
Last year, we continued efforts focusing on the success
ago, then-Chair of the Trial Practice Group, James J.
of every diverse attorney in the Firm. We hit the “refresh”
McCabe, scheduled a series of meetings focused on our
button on our mentoring programs by scheduling group
mission, outcomes for clients and attracting the best
sessions of all mentor members of the Diversity & Inclusion
lawyers. In all of those discussions, Jim insisted upon
Committee for a greater exchange of coaching tips, and
one statement of principle: The lawyers in his practice
last fall, we engaged mentoring expert Karen Hester, J.D.,
group, and indeed the Firm, must be collegial.
Executive Director of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness,
to provide strategic suggestions for Committee mentors
“Collegiality” is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “the
at our in-person fall meeting. Equally important, I met
cooperative relationship of colleagues.” Going a step
quarterly with the nine practice group leaders in the Firm
further, we cannot be collegial unless we are inclusive.
to review the hours of diverse attorneys, assignment
The diversity and inclusion initiative in my time at Duane
opportunities and overall successful growth within each
Morris has grown and become vibrant because Firm
practice group.
leadership recognizes that inclusion, like collegiality,
should be—and is—a part of our culture.
Finally, having long since passed the Duane Morris
retirement age for holding management positions,
For the first time, our annual Diversity & Inclusion
I began having discussions with John Soroko about the
Retreat, held last May, focused on people with
Firm’s next Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.
We wanted
disabilities. Chaired by partner Lauren DeBruicker, our
someone who would grow the program and provide new
Retreat honored the 25th anniversary of the passage
opportunities for the 100 diverse attorneys who comprise
of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Fred Maahs,
a part of Duane Morris in the continental United States,
Sr.
Director of Community Investment & National
as well as everyone in the entire Firm. The search was not
Partnerships at Comcast, and Chair of the American
easy and took an extended period of time. However, it is
Association of People with Disabilities, delivered a
my belief that we found the perfect person in Joseph K.
keynote address about how this legislation has impacted
West.
His reputation as a lawyer and as a national leader
the more than 54 million Americans with disabilities.
in the diversity and inclusion movement is impeccable.
Last spring, we added an Office Inclusion Committee
I could not be happier and more professionally satisfied
in Chicago, which held programs highlighting the
than to hand the baton to Joe.
achievements of a retired United States Magistrate
All the best to everyone at Duane Morris,
Judge who grew up in the Jim Crow-era cotton fields
of Mississippi; a comparison of life in Hong Kong with
Chicago described by one of our associates; and issues
faced by veterans, especially those transitioning into
the private sector.
NOLAN N. ATKINSON, JR.
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer,
2000—2015
2
. WELCOME LETTER FROM JOSEPH K. WEST
Since joining Duane Morris as a partner in the Trial
Practice Group and as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer,
I have been asked many times about my decision to come
aboard. The letter penned by my predecessor Nolan
Atkinson provides part of the answer to this question.
Under Nolan’s thoughtful guidance and with the support
of Firm Chairman John Soroko and others in leadership,
Duane Morris has created a strong diversity and inclusion
infrastructure. For that, the Firm should be proud.
I am honored to have been asked to continue this already
thoughtful and creative program, while examining ways
in which we can improve our effort and hone our D&I
effectiveness, both internally and externally.
Internally,
we must seek ways to arrest attrition, to provide
opportunities for talent development and to create
an ecosystem conducive to enhanced retention and
sustainable growth opportunities for all of our talent.
Externally, increasing numbers of companies will be
holding their outside counsel accountable and will
communicate greater expectations around diversity and
inclusion. We have both the opening and the obligation
DIVERSITY &
INCLUSION
LEADERSHIP
to identify and to capitalize on opportunities with existing
and potential clients for whom diversity is an integral
part of doing business with them.
Of course, this can happen only when we fully commit
our collective selves to infusing the culture of Duane
Morris with the ideals of diversity, to making inclusion
a part of the Firm’s DNA and to ensuring that this Firm’s
commitment to identifying barriers to inclusion and
eliminating them is without peer.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve in this capacity,
and I look forward to working with you in this effort.
JOSEPH K. WEST
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
and Partner
3
.
The D&I Committee, consisting of 24 members, oversees all Firm D&I programs. The Committee, which meets monthly,
reviews new initiatives, makes recommendations for organizational change, plans and hosts the Diversity & Inclusion
Retreat, acts as mentors for diverse associates in the Firm and objectively and subjectively measures the Firm’s
diversity efforts against what other peer law firms are doing.
* New member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee in 2015
ATLANTA
William D. Barwick
MIAMI
BOCA RATON
Chuck Shields, Jr.
BOSTON CHERRY HILL
*Tony Fitzpatrick
NEW YORK
Lida Rodriguez-Taseff
Andrew Thomas Hahn
Lauren E. DeBruicker
SAN DIEGO
*Michelle Donovan
Hallie Garrison
Seth A.
Goldberg
Neville M. Bilimoria
NEWARK
Nanette Heide
DIVERSITY &
INCLUSION
COMMITTEE
Kathy O’Malley
CHICAGO
Jessica Singh
Eric R. Breslin
PHILADELPHIA
Thomas T.
Loder
Nolan Atkinson
John Nixon
SAN FRANCISCO SILICON VALLEY WASHINGTON
Dominica C. Anderson
*Thomas G. Servodidio
LIAISONS
*Manita Rawat
Ed Biester
Terrance Evans
Sandra A.
Jeskie
Sheila Slocum Hollis
Mairi V. Luce
4
Amee McKim
Kelly D. Eckel
Peggy Simoncini Pasquay
.
In 2015, members of the D&I Committee took an active
role in educating the entire Firm on issues of diversity
and inclusion. We describe in the following pages several
of the internal initiatives that were the focus of the D&I
Committee this past year.
D&I COMMITTEE’S DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
MENTORING AND COACHING PROGRAM
A critical component of the Diversity & Inclusion
Committee’s internal program has always been its
mentoring program, whereby members of the D&I
Committee serve as mentors to the Firm’s diverse nonpartner attorneys. Participation in the program is optional
for such attorneys, but the majority of attorneys eligible
to participate in the program choose to participate.
The D&I Committee’s mentoring program is intended to
overlay and complement the firmwide general mentoring
program through which all of the Firm’s associates, and
certain of the Firm’s special counsel, are mentored by
Firm partners. The D&I Committee’s mentoring program
is viewed as so central to the work of the D&I Committee
within the Firm that all regular (non-liaison) members
of the D&I Committee are expected to actively serve as
DIVERSITY &
INCLUSION
INITIATIVES
mentors in this program.
Partners with mentoring responsibility in this program
are responsible for routinely reviewing the amount of
work of their mentees; ascertaining how well-integrated
their mentees are in their practice groups and offices; and
determining the adequacy of their mentees’ professional
development via discussions with their mentees, assigning
attorneys and practice group chairs, along with review of
Firm-generated reports that are supplied on a monthly
basis to all members of the D&I Committee.
Mentors are
expected to develop and implement plans to remediate
any identified issues that may require the mentors to
communicate with assigning attorneys, practice group
chairs or office managing partners regarding their mentees’
assignments and professional development issues.
5
. In early 2015, a number of revisions were made to the
D&I Committee’s mentoring program to ensure it is best
serving the needs of its constituents to: (1) create a
better fit between each non-partner mentee and his or
her D&I Committee mentor; (2) better support the work
of the D&I Committee mentors through ongoing targeted
training; and (3) facilitate ongoing efforts to mentor the
Firm’s diverse non-partner attorneys by providing for
more frequent check-ins with respect to the mentees
and giving the mentors a forum in which to support each
other and share suggestions for successful mentoring.
To those ends, the revisions consisted of the following
three main components:
3. Small Group Meetings. To facilitate ongoing efforts
1. Renaming of Program and Reassignment of
Mentors and Mentees. The mentoring program
was renamed the “D&I Committee’s Diversity and
Inclusion Mentoring and Coaching Program” and a
comprehensive analysis of all mentor and mentee
pairings in the program was undertaken to more
closely align the mentees with their mentors based on
factors, such as: (1) office location, (2) practice area,
(3) seniority (of mentee) and (4) special considerations
that warrant attention through the program. Despite
these changes, it remains an expectation that all nonliaison members of the D&I Committee will serve as a
mentor to one or more diverse non-partner attorneys;
therefore, following the reassignment process, each
D&I Committee member continues to have mentoring
responsibilities.
for more effective mentoring.
The meetings also
to mentor the Firm’s diverse non-partner attorneys,
the D&I Committee’s mentors were divided into three
smaller groups, each with an assigned facilitator.
The facilitator coordinates meetings, occurring every
other month or approximately six times per year,
of the mentors in the facilitator’s group. During the
meetings, each mentor is expected to report on his or
her mentee, including issues of challenge or instances
of success with respect to the mentoring efforts.
Through these meetings, mentors collaborate with
each other on mentoring challenges and share ideas
promote the goal of ensuring that regular contact
with mentees is established and maintained.
IMPLICIT BIAS AWARENESS
In March 2015, Seth Goldberg and Nolan Atkinson
presented to the partners of the Trial Practice Group
on the topic of implicit bias and how it may influence
the allocation of work at law firms. This was the third
presentation on this topic to members of the Firm, with
the first in October 2014 to the lawyers in the Firm’s
Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice
Group, and the second to the partners and associates
in the Commercial, Securities and Antitrust Litigation
sub-practice group.
2. Training for Mentors.
In order to better support
the work of the D&I Committee mentors, training was
provided for the mentors at the Firm’s Annual Meeting
in October. Karen Hester, Executive Director for the
Center for Legal Inclusiveness, conducted training that
consisted of a 75-minute presentation to the entire D&I
Committee and individual coaching sessions provided
to select mentors. The goal of the training was to
enable the mentors to develop their mentoring skills,
particularly in the context of mentoring diverse nonpartner attorneys.
The intention is for ongoing training
to be provided to the D&I Committee around mentoring
topics, which will be conducted largely by Duane Morris
staff and attorneys with experience in the topics
selected for training.
Implicit bias, or unconscious bias, can be characterized
as the bias in judgment or behavior that automatically
results from subconsciously held beliefs. While it occurs
in all workplaces, it has particular importance in law firms,
where associates are assigned work from partners whose
implicit bias might influence how the partners allocate
work among the associates. Subconscious beliefs based
on experience and stereotypes may dictate whether a
partner in a law firm assigns work to a diverse associate
or non-diverse associate, or they may influence how a
partner perceives the work product of diverse associates
versus non-diverse associates.
6
.
These presentations are part of the D&I Committee’s
These efforts have included advocacy within the Firm
ongoing effort to raise awareness of the issue for Duane
for hiring more diverse lawyers in summer associate
Morris lawyers, and additional similar presentations will
programs for those offices, intervention to make sure
be made to other practice groups in 2016. Therefore,
that diverse lawyers are in the mix for individual lateral
lawyers working in law firms should be aware of the
associate hiring as needs arise in various practice groups,
influence implicit bias may have on work allocation
and efforts to identify lateral partner candidates for offices
because correlations exist between the types and
in which we would particularly like to see more diverse
amount of assignments given to associates, their ability
lawyers. Essentially, we seek to facilitate increased hiring
to demonstrate success and competence, and their job
of diverse lawyers in targeted areas across the spectrum
satisfaction and retention.
of professional hiring at the Firm, particularly in any
larger offices and practice groups where we would most
LOOKING LOCALLY TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY
like to see more diverse lawyers.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
We continually reinvent the diversity and inclusion
initiatives at Duane Morris. We are proud that Duane
Morris is a place where lawyers of all backgrounds can
flourish and succeed.
At the same time, we recognize that
there is always room for improvement.
Each month, our Diversity & Inclusion Committee
reviews overall metrics on recruitment and retention
of diverse lawyers at the Firm. Firmwide numbers
show an improving picture: We are pleased that Firmwide data again showed a year-to-year increase in the
overall percentage of minority lawyers in 2015 to 12.29
percent, compared to 12.07 in 2014. Maintaining focus
on mentoring of individual lawyers, building networks of
lawyers supporting the diversity and inclusion goals of
the Firm throughout offices and practice groups, and a
good grasp from metrics of where we stand in the big
picture all have helped us improve diversity recruitment
and retention.
Sometimes, however, it is useful to ignore
the forest and examine the trees.
Collecting and reviewing metrics on diverse lawyers has
At the same time, we recognize that retention is just as
helped us identify offices and practice groups in the Firm
important as recruitment. Therefore, we are paying extra
that have succeeded in attracting and retaining strong
groups of diverse lawyers. We can learn from those
attention to make sure that diverse lawyers recruited
successes.
We have also identified offices and practice
into larger offices and practice groups with lower diverse
groups that can and should be doing a better job on
representation than the Firm as a whole have supportive
that front. Through a subcommittee of our Diversity &
people they can lean on for advice and guidance. Each
Inclusion Committee, we are working on ways to improve
success builds a critical mass of a strong diverse presence
recruitment and retention within those offices and
in all offices and practice groups, which is our goal.
practice groups that the metrics tell us could and should
be doing more to attract and maintain diverse lawyers.
7
.
RETENTION
ENHANCING THE CORE PROGRAM & TRANSITIONING TO NEW LEADERSHIP
. INCORPORATION OF PDLG SIX CORE PRACTICES
Duane Morris has been a founding member of the
6. Ensure that the attorney leader of the corporate
Philadelphia Diversity Law Group (“PDLG”) since its
law department’s or law firm’s diversity and inclusion
creation in 2002, with Nolan Atkinson being instrumental
efforts has regular access and the opportunity to
in its creation. For most of its time, PDLG focused on
provide advice to the law firm’s governing committee
recruiting diverse candidates for associate positions
or, in the case of corporate law departments, to the
seeking jobs in the Philadelphia marketplace. However,
company’s chief legal officer.
in 2015, PDLG decided to expand its focus and develop,
Duane Morris already has programs that focus on
in addition to recruitment initiatives, strong programs
each of the six principles. However, we look forward to
around retention.
further development of programs designed to enhance
In November 2015, PDLG asked each of its member
retention.
Additionally, we will collaborate with each
firms and corporate law departments to agree to six
of our fellow member law firms and corporate law
principles that are presented in condensed form below.
departments in PDLG to strengthen retention initiatives
Duane Morris reviewed and agreed to incorporate these
within the Philadelphia legal marketplace.
core practices into our Firm.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION RETREAT
1. Strengthen recruiting programs for lawyers of
color and other diverse lawyers by developing creative
The Firm was proud to host our ninth annual Diversity &
and effective strategies for increasing the pool of such
Inclusion Retreat for all diverse partners and associates
candidates for positions at law firms and corporate
of the Firm, as well as Firm management. Entitled
law departments, and by intensifying efforts to recruit
“Putting Knowledge and Learning into Action: Building a
diverse candidates successfully at all levels.
Framework for Inclusion,” the Retreat took place on May
1–2, 2015, in Philadelphia.
2. Ensure that lawyers of color and other diverse
lawyers have access to meaningful and challenging
The Retreat began with the panel “From Ideas to Impact:
assignments, and that all attorneys receive their fair
Progress Born from Past Retreats and the State of the
share of significant and visible roles on matters of
Firm’s D&I Initiative,” which summarized the Firm’s
importance to clients.
accomplishments to date in the diversity and inclusion
3. Maintain fair and unbiased systems for assigning
space and highlighted some of the key ongoing initiatives.
Partners Seth Goldberg, Andrew Hahn and Mairi Luce,
and evaluating legal work that will provide all of a law
firm’s or corporate law department’s lawyers with
along with Amee McKim, the Firm’s Director of Legal
an equal opportunity to develop the skills necessary
Recruitment, gave in-depth overviews of initiatives,
to provide the best-possible service to clients, and
including work distribution, partner accountability,
to compete successfully for internal promotions and
recruiting and lateral integration. Following that, we
opportunities in the legal market generally.
invited a panel of diverse attorneys to provide their
22.72 % OF ALL PARTNERS ARE FEMALE
personal insights with regards to “Bringing Your ‘A Game’:
4. Develop viable sponsorship programs that will
Mobilizing Firm Resources to Make Full Use of Your Talents
include lawyers of color and other diverse lawyers.
and Optimize Your Practice.” Associate Natalie Hrubos
5. Appoint more lawyers of color and other diverse
moderated this informational panel and invited each
lawyers to leadership and managerial positions at
panelist to focus on a different strength.
Miles Plaskett, a
firms and corporate law departments.
Corporate partner in the Miami office, discussed mobilizing
9
. practice groups to serve your clients’ needs. Trial partner
SPOTLIGHT: CHICAGO INCLUSION COMMITTEE
Michael Zullo outlined some of the accommodations the
In 2015, the Chicago office formed the Chicago Inclusion
Firm has available to enhance productivity. Intellectual
Committee. Its primary goals are building an environment
Property associate Anjali Moorthy discussed networking
where all people, irrespective of position or perceived
in a crowded market and how to differentiate oneself.
status, are valued for their distinct contributions;
Johann Yi-Der Lin, an IP patent agent in the San Diego
eliminating barriers that may exist by reason of gender,
office, discussed his international work and how to
race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or
maintain and grow overseas relationships.
expression, religion, job position, medical conditions
The afternoon segment of the Retreat featured a multi-
or disabilities, veteran or family status, or any other factor
part program on client development.
Kicking off this
that makes a person unique; promoting the Firm’s goals
segment, we asked three superstar partners to provide
of diversity and inclusion; and creating strategies for us
personal anecdotes and tips on how they have succeeded
all to be more collaborative, as well as understanding and
in developing business. Cyndie Chang, Managing Partner
respectful of one another.
of our Los Angeles office, discussed client pitches,
During 2015, the Committee organized three all-office
specifically the importance of knowing your client and
lunchtime presentations. Chicago associate Michael
organizing your team in an effective way.
Manita Rawat,
Barnicle gave a presentation on his
an Intellectual Property partner in our Silicon Valley office,
military experience (including military
built on Cyndie’s comments and addressed “The Do’s and
basics, training, the Iraq war and
Don’ts of Pitching: Diversity Myths and Realities.” The
returning to civilian life), issues faced
panel concluded with tips from Woody Jameson, Chair
by veterans and strengths veterans
of the Firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, on
bring to the workplace. Mike’s engaging
the intangibles of pitching business. After the attendees
presentation also featured pictures
digested all the tips from our panelists, it was time to put
and other items from his service.
knowledge into action.
Prior to the Retreat, we paired
Arlander Keys, a retired United States Magistrate Judge
partners and associates and provided them a mock
for the Northern District of Illinois, shared his story about
scenario relevant to their practice area. The associates
the extreme racism and adversity he endured growing up
had time to conduct research and prepare for their pitch,
in the Jim Crow-era cotton fields of Mississippi, his military
and during a 90-minute period, they had the opportunity
service in Vietnam and returning to start his legal career,
to conduct an actual mock pitch and receive feedback
which he began as a trial attorney before eventually
from the partners with whom they were paired. This
serving as a United States Magistrate Judge for nearly
exercise was very well-received, and its interactive nature
20 years.
The rise of Judge Keys is a remarkable story
ensured everyone was engaged and benefitted from the
that impressed and inspired the Chicago office.
hands-on experience.
Our keynote speaker for the Retreat was Fred Maahs,
Chair of the American Association of People with
Disabilities. Fred discussed the 25th anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the landscape ahead.
The 2015 Retreat was well-attended and, as always,
provided a wealth of information that attendees could
incorporate into their everyday routines.
Mark A. Bradford, Arlander Keys, David B.
Yelin and Matt A. Olins.
10
. Tat-yeung Shiu, an associate in the Chicago office,
PHILADELPHIA INCLUSION CLE PROGRAM ON
delivered a presentation during which he discussed
“AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: AN OPEN DISCUSSION
his background, growing up in Hong Kong and then
AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS”
traveling to the United States when he was 19 to attend
On October 30, the Philadelphia Inclusion Committee
college. Tat shared his perspective on many of the
sponsored a CLE program for the Trial Practice Group
cultural differences between Hong Kong and Chicago.
titled “Affirmative Action: An Open Discussion and
He also arranged for the delivery of dim sum from
Recent Developments.” The program used the Vashon
Chicago’s Chinatown so that the Chicago office could
Lecture delivered by Professor Randall Kennedy at
experience, firsthand, a small slice of Hong Kong’s
Duane Morris in 2012 as a starting point for an open
culture. Tat guided many of those in the audience,
discussion about affirmative action, its objectives and
who were unfamiliar with dim sum, through their meal,
its legal underpinnings. Professor Kennedy argued
and discussed the diverse regional styles of other
that the Supreme Court has upheld affirmative action
Chinese cuisine.
based on the objective of promoting diversity, even
though this goal is, in his view, not the ”real” purpose
of affirmative action.
The group discussed whether
Professor Kennedy had undervalued the importance of
diversity as an independent goal of affirmative action.
Within that context, we discussed the Supreme Court’s
consideration this term of a challenge to the University
of Texas’ admissions program. The issue before the Court
is whether the program is narrowly tailored to achieve
the objective of educational diversity, particularly in
light of alternative approaches Texas has adopted that
have successfully promoted racial and ethnic diversity
Each of the aforementioned presentations were attended
in the university’s student body.
by the majority of people in the Chicago office and
This is the first time that a Trial Practice Group CLE
were very well-received. Also in 2015, the Committee
lunch program focused directly on issues relating to
organized a walking club, which is open to all and meets
diversity and inclusion.
Not surprisingly, there was some
a couple of times a week for lunchtime walks downtown.
uncertainty among participants about how to engage
It provides another opportunity for people in the office
with a “hot button” issue in this forum. Nonetheless,
to become better acquainted while also getting some
the discussion was an important step toward achieving a
light exercise. The Committee also began plans for 2016
more open dialogue on issues of diversity and inclusion
events, which will include more lunchtime speakers,
within our Firm.
a weekend volunteer event at the Chicago Food
Depository and other all-office events intended to bring
the office closer together and help people get to know
one another better.
11
.
METRICS
DIVERSE ATTORNEY PROMOTION
TO PARTNERSHIP
FEMALE ATTORNEY PROMOTION
TO PARTNERSHIP
62.5%
40%
50%
33%
50%
44%
43%
27%
12.5%
2010
8.5%
2011
2014
2015
LAST
THREE
YEARS
11%
2012
43%
31.8%
2013
2014
2015
2010
2011
2012
2013
. Duane Morris believes that accountability and consistency
2009 to this current 30.5-percent level. This progress,
are the hallmarks of its commitment to realizing a
while less dramatic than the increase for diverse attorneys
permanent, deeply rooted and self-sustaining diverse
over the same period, reflects the greater progress the
culture. Using a matrix of Diversity Scorecard variables,
Firm made prior to 2009 and also points to the need to
the Firm engages in rigorous self-evaluation each year to
continue the Firm’s efforts at recruiting and retaining
confirm we are making consistent and measurable forward
women attorneys. In recognition of this, Duane Morris
progress toward achieving our Diversity & Inclusion
has focused on another important metric, the promotion
Program objectives.
To ensure accountability, consistency
of female attorneys to partnership. While the Firm’s
and growth, the metrics Duane Morris examines are
total percentage of female attorneys reached its high of
the same each year, including such key comparative
30.5 percent in 2015, women have been promoted to
variables as the growth in the Firm’s proportion of diverse
partnership at a rate higher than that of their male
and female attorneys; the comparative rate of their
colleagues since 2009, accounting for 48 percent of
promotion to partner; a comparison of the billable hours
the Firm’s new partners during that six-year period.
of female and diverse attorneys to their male and non-
This reflects significantly increased levels of leadership
diverse colleagues; and the Firm’s success in recruiting
and integration of female attorneys in the Firm’s culture
and integrating diverse and female lateral partners. The
and likewise contributes to our consistently high rankings
Firm’s performance is then measured each year against
among publications measuring the best workplaces for
the prior year to ensure that our focus stays trained
women among all American companies.
Duane Morris
on building upon past success and continuing to make
is one of the Yale Law Women’s 2015 Top Ten Family
consistent progress every year. With each successful
Friendly Firms and is consistently ranked as one of the
year, the Firm strengthens its diverse foundation.
50 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother and
For example, Duane Morris has made steady progress
Flex-Time Lawyers, based on the Firm’s family-friendly
increasing the Firm’s proportion of diverse attorneys,
policies and business development initiatives that retain
from just under 9 percent of our total attorney population
women and advance them into the leadership pipeline.
in 2009 to the high-water mark of 12.3 percent reached
In addition, for the fifth year in a row, Duane Morris has
as of year-end 2015. Significantly, the percentage of
been cited on the Honor Roll of Legal Organizations
diverse attorneys promoted to partner has averaged
Welcoming Women Professionals by the Pennsylvania Bar
20 percent since 2009, and nearly 32 percent of
Association Commission on Women in the Profession.
The
the Firm’s partnership promotions in the three-year
Firm’s mentoring and networking programs for women
period ending December 31, 2015. This promotion rate
attorneys also have been cited by Law360, Women 3.0
of diverse attorneys reflects the Diversity & Inclusion
magazine, Philadelphia magazine and others.
Program’s longtime strategy of mentorship and attorney
Using advanced metrics, and a scorecard that keeps the
retention, and it establishes a track record that diverse
Firm’s attention sharply focused on making consistent
attorneys choosing among law firms can trust when
year-over-year progress, Duane Morris has moved steadily
charting their career course.
closer to achieving its goal of creating a fully integrated
Similarly, Duane Morris has maintained consistent
environment and permanently diverse Firm culture.
progress with the growth of its female attorney
Duane Morris believes that, though we have progress
population. The percentage of female attorneys increased
yet to make, our steady commitment and record of
only incrementally in 2015, to 30.50 percent at year-end
accountability to our diversity and inclusion programs will
as compared to 30.25 percent in 2014.
Over a five-year
continue to lengthen the strides we have made—allowing
period, however, the percentage of female attorneys at
us to be even more successful in attracting and retaining
Duane Morris has steadily increased from 27 percent in
the most talented attorneys to the Firm in the future.
13
. GEORGE BOYER VASHON LECTURE
In 2010, Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., Duane Morris’ former
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, and his nephew Paul
Thornell petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court,
requesting Nolan Atkinson’s great-grandfather George
B. Vashon to be posthumously admitted to practice
law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vashon, an
African-American, was denied admission to practice law
in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) because of his race.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously granted
the petition.
Duane Morris Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer John Soroko announced that in honor of this
monumental event, the Firm would be creating an annual
lecture series that would explore issues of justice and
fairness.
PROMOTING
THE FIRM’S
REPUTATION
Duane Morris Chairman John J. Soroko, Wendell Pritchett,
Lisa T. Scruggs, Donna Cooper, Judge Wendy Beetlestone,
Anthony Hardy Williams and Nolan N.
Atkinson.
In April 2015, the sixth annual Vashon Lecture was held
in Philadelphia on the topic, “What Do We Mean When
We Say Education Is a Civil Right?” Wendell Pritchett,
Presidential Professor of Law and Education and former
Interim Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law
School, was the guest lecturer. In addition, a panel
discussion moderated by Donna Cooper, Executive
Director of the Public Citizens for Children and Youth,
raised questions and elicited comment on the positions
raised by Pritchett. Panelists included the Honorable
Wendy Beetlestone, Federal Judge, United States District
Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Anthony
Hardy Williams, State Senator, Pennsylvania; and Lisa
Scruggs, Duane Morris partner.
14
.
This event is representative of Duane Morris’ commitment
to creating a more diverse legal profession through
education and supporting community discussion on vital
issues throughout the United States.
DUANE MORRIS PARTNERED WITH VERIZON IN
THEIR ENGAGE EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
In the fall of 2015, S. Neil Anderson, an associate in our
Atlanta office, presented a CLE program on data privacy
Michelle Ifill, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for
Verizon Corporate Services, Inc. and Neil Anderson.
and online security through Verizon’s Engage Excellence
initiative. Verizon, along with several other Fortune 100
Duane Morris partner Matt Gaudet was in attendance
companies, instituted this program to help promote the
and shared Neil’s enthusiasm.
“Duane Morris is truly
careers of diverse attorneys by creating direct exposure
enriched by its commitment to attracting talented,
with in-house legal departments, with the stated goal of
diverse lawyers, as was evidenced here by having one
putting diverse attorneys in positions to win business and
of our very own talented attorneys showcase what the
lead important matters for Verizon.
Firm has to offer in front of some of the most coveted
Neil shares his thoughts on the value of this experience:
clients in the country,” said Matt. “This is a great example
The vast amounts of research and preparation that went
of how our commitment to diversity and inclusion benefits
into the presentation have proven invaluable as I have
everyone at the Firm in so many ways.”
now deepened my knowledge base in an area of law that
FIRM SUPPORTS GLAAD SPIRIT DAY
was not the primary focus of my practice. To say that
the Verizon Engage Excellence program was more than
Duane
I bargained for would be an understatement.
Engage
turned its website purple
Excellence is a diversity initiative designed to provide
on October 16, 2015,
meaningful and sustainable business opportunities for
in honor of the Gay &
diverse lawyers in majority firms. In addition to Verizon,
Lesbian Alliance Against
several other name-brand companies have signed on to
Defamation’s
this initiative, including Walmart, DuPont and General
annual Spirit Day. The
Mills.
Verizon has put its own unique twist on the initiative
Firm website’s usual blue
by designing programming for diverse attorneys to put on
turned purple that day
CLE presentations in an effort to introduce the company
to show support for LGBT youth and signify our stance
to the next generation of rising diverse attorneys in
against bullying.
majority law firms. Considering that the audience would
be composed of decision makers from Verizon, Home
Depot, Walmart and Cox Communications, just to name
a few, preparing for this presentation was no small task.
Likewise, the actual presentation was an extraordinary
public speaking opportunity and a great exercise in
cultivating business and relationships.
15
Morris
again
(GLAAD)
. HONORS
+ AWARDS
ENHANCING THE CORE PROGRAM & TRANSITIONING TO NEW LEADERSHIP
. CYNDIE CHANG INSTALLED AS PRESIDENTELECT OF NAPABA
In November 2015 during the NAPABA
Annual Convention held in New Orleans,
Cyndie Chang was installed as the PresidentElect of the National Asian Pacific American
Bar Association (NAPABA), which is the
national association of Asian Pacific American (APA)
attorneys, judges, law professors and law students.
NAPABA represents the interests of more than 40,000
attorneys and approximately 70 national, state and local
bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners,
large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and
nonprofit attorneys, as well as lawyers serving at all
levels of government. NAPABA engages in legislative and
policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and
political appointments and builds coalitions within the
legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also
serves as a resource for government agencies, members
of Congress and public service organizations about
APAs in the legal profession, civil rights and diversity in
the courts.
PRO BONO HONORS FOR JOLIE-ANNE ANSLEY
AND CHRISTOPHER YEH — KETA TAYLOR
COLBY AWARD
Partner Jolie-Anne Ansley, of the San
Francisco office, and associate Christopher
Yeh, of the Los Angeles office, were selected
by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
to receive the Keta Taylor Colby Award,
which they were presented on January 28,
2016.
The Colby Award recognizes pro bono
PHILLIP CHONG HONORED AS BALTIMORE PRO
BONO ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR
counsel who have provided outstanding
representation to the poor and under-
Phillip Chong was recognized as the Tahirih
Justice Center’s Baltimore Pro Bono
Attorney of the Year for his compassionate
and zealous representation of a domestic
violence survivor in her self-petition for
lawful permanent residency in the United States under
the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Phillip received
the award in April 2015 as part of Tahirih’s Gala.
represented through the Second Chance Legal Clinic.
Jolie-Anne and Christopher’s persistent and zealous
advocacy resulted in a release from license hold after a
petition to vacate a civil assessment was denied. Their
hard work removed a significant barrier to improve a
client’s life opportunities.
Congratulations to Jolie-Anne
and Christopher for their extraordinary advocacy on
behalf of low-income clients!
Scott Marder, Phillip Chong, Rob Hopkins and Robert Ruben, all of the
Baltimore office.
17
. DUANE MORRIS PARTNER MANITA RAWAT
NAMED TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ON
LEGAL DIVERSITY’S 2015 FELLOWS PROGRAM
Manita Rawat, a partner in the Silicon
Valley office, was chosen as a member of
the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s
(LCLD) 2015 class of Fellows. This landmark
program identifies, trains and advances the
next generation of leaders in the legal profession.
According to LCLD President Robert J. Grey, Jr., the LCLD
Fellows Program offers participants “an extraordinarily
rich year of relationship-building, virtual and in-person
training, peer-group projects and extensive contact with
LCLD’s top leadership.”
Founded in 2009, LCLD is an organization of more than
220 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing
partners who are personally committed to creating a
truly diverse legal profession. The LCLD Fellows Program,
which has trained more than 600 mid-career attorneys
since 2011, is one of the organization’s most important
initiatives.
ATTORNEYS ACROSS AMERICA:
For more information, please contact:
FEATURING CYNDIE CHANG
JOSEPH K.
WEST
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Partner
P: 202.776.7806
jkwest@duanemorris.com
From a tiny office in rural Alaska to a
skyscraper in Manhattan, from the Sunshine
State to the Prairie State, this new series—
highlighted on the Ms. JD blog—seeks to
capture snapshots of successful women
attorneys practicing law from sea to shining sea. Cyndie
Chang is the managing partner of the Los Angeles office
of Duane Morris LLP.
Ms.
JD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated
to the success of aspiring and early career women lawyers.
Serving as a unique nexus between the profession and the
pipeline of diverse attorneys, Ms. JD’s online community
provides a forum for dialogue and networking among
women lawyers and law students.
18
. STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
In the pursuit of advancing diversity and inclusion, Duane Morris teamed up with a number of leading organizations
throughout the year. These collaborations extend our resources and help to promote diversity and inclusion while
evolving our best practices. Listed below are some of our key relationships.
Minority Bar
Committee
© Duane Morris LLP 2016
This publication is for general information and does not include full legal analysis of the matters presented. It should not be
construed or relied upon as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances.
The invitation to contact the
attorneys in our Firm is not a solicitation to provide professional services and should not be construed as a statement as to any
availability to perform legal services in any jurisdiction in which such attorney is not permitted to practice.
19
. Duane Morris – Firm and Affiliate Offices | New York | London | Singapore | Philadelphia | Chicago | Washington, D.C. | San Francisco
Silicon Valley | San Diego | Shanghai | Boston | Houston | Los Angeles | Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City | Atlanta | Baltimore | Wilmington | Miami
Boca Raton | Pittsburgh | Newark | Las Vegas | Cherry Hill | Lake Tahoe | Myanmar | Oman | Duane Morris LLP – A Delaware limited liability partnership
www.duanemorris.com
.