Diversity: Arnstein & Lehr LLP

It is a fundamental mission of Arnstein & Lehr LLP to promote diversity in the workplace and to engender an environment free of workplace harassment or discrimination of any kind. To this end, the firm is committed to fostering a work environment that gives every person the opportunity to contribute fully to the firm and its business goals, regardless of an individual’s race, culture, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, religion, or sexual orientation. We recognize that by capturing the unique contribution each individual has to offer—whether by virtue of cultural background, race, gender, talents, values, affiliations, or other differences—we can add significantly to the firm’s overall performance and contribute to a greater social good.

 

Arnstein & Lehr embraces diversity as essential to its mission and is committed to creating a workplace that reflects the increasingly diverse nature of the legal profession and the clients we serve. At Arnstein & Lehr, we encourage a professional environment that values attorneys and staff of all backgrounds. To that end, we are committed to cultivating a rich, dynamic workplace in which every member of the firm is uniquely valued and treated with professionalism and respect. We strive to ensure that all employees are free from discrimination and harassment of any form while fostering an environment that is both inclusive and inherently fair.

Our Diversity Committee ensures that we reinforce and enhance our collective diversity and serves to enhance legal excellence, leadership, collaboration, and community within the firm. Led by Partner Robert Cichocki, the committee is also charged with overseeing diversity initiatives and promoting an inclusive, positive, and supportive work environment. With guidance from the Diversity Committee, attorneys and staff participate regularly in diversity programs, training, panel discussions, and leadership seminars.

We are proud of our accomplishments in fostering diversity and continually search for ways to broaden and enhance our efforts. In 2008, Arnstein & Lehr’s Diversity Committee aims to:

The firm aims to help women advance professionally—both within the firm and within legal and business communities—through the support of women’s organizations and women-owned businesses. In July 2007, the Diversity Committee spearheaded the first Arnstein & Lehr Woman of Vision Award, a women leaders’ networking lunch. It brought together female business leaders from across the Chicago area, including executives in government, law, health care, business, and education. Cheryle Jackson, the first woman and African-American president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, was our first recipient of the honor.

In 2005, the subcommittee welcomed the Women’s National Basketball Association franchise Chicago Sky to the city, hosting a luncheon attended by dozens of prominent area business women. The event was created to provide grass roots support of the new franchise within the Chicago women’s business community.

In addition, as part of our commitment to increasing the number of women and minority attorneys in the firm, Arnstein & Lehr is a signatory to The Chicago Bar Association’s Call to Action on Women’s Leadership in the Legal Profession and the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms. We pledge, among other initiatives, to increase the percentage of women and minority partners in all our offices through recruitment and lateral expansion.