Commitment to Diversity
Choate is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment that understands, welcomes, values and supports individuals of all backgrounds. Our goal is to recruit a diverse group of attorneys and staff to develop a firm culture and practice that is welcoming and appreciative of the experiences, perspectives and cultures of attorneys and staff of every background and to provide meaningful work opportunities and experiences that allow all attorneys and staff to thrive in and on behalf of the firm.
To achieve these goals, the firm established a Diversity Committee comprised of lawyers and non-lawyers, which is chaired by one of the firm's Managing Partners. As an initial step, Choate retained a Boston-based consulting firm that conducted a workplace diversity assessment. The goal of the assessment was to gain a better understanding of the perspectives and experiences of individuals within Choate's workforce with regard to diversity issues and to identify steps that ensure the firm offers a work environment in which we can all thrive. Having completed the assessment, the firm's Diversity Committee identified three priority areas around which to build. They are:
¿ Recruitment and Retention of Persons of Color
¿ Retention of Women Attorneys
¿ Diversity Awareness and Communication Across the Firm.
Recruitment and Retention of Persons of Color
Our Hiring Committee aggressively pursues talented diverse candidates from the nation's leading law schools. We routinely work with faculty members and administrators from universities around the country, sponsoring activities to help students capitalize on opportunities available in Boston. Members of the Diversity Committee meet with minority students at law schools to increase the students' awareness of Choate and its diversity commitment and we continue to identify and recruit from schools that have greater representation of students of color. Also, we hold a yearly Diversity Reception, aimed at first year law students, to teach them about Choate and our commitment to promoting opportunities for attorneys from diverse backgrounds.
Choate's commitment to hiring, retaining and encouraging people from diverse backgrounds extends to every level and department of the firm. We are a founding member of and very active in the Boston Lawyers Group, a consortium dedicated to enhancing recruitment and retention of attorneys of color. We are also active in the International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association, Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Asian American Lawyers Association and the South Asian American Law Students Association.
Retention of Women Attorneys
Over the years Choate has taken several steps to create a working environment and culture that facilitates the success of the women in our firm. In recent years, the Diversity Committee held a firm-wide forum for partners, associates, summer associates, paralegals and non-legal staff to identify the issues affecting women attorneys' satisfaction working at the firm. Results from that meeting were reviewed and several initiatives were rolled out. Among them is a mentoring program that pairs each associate with an official mentor, and each mentor and mentee goes through mentoring training. The firm has also created a quarterly luncheon series entitled "Paths to Success," featuring internal female partners as well as external speakers from both the private and public sectors. On a monthly basis, senior and junior women attorneys meet separately for a brown bag lunch and social events targeted toward those attorneys have been established.
As part of the firm's commitment to supporting parental leaves and part-time arrangements, the firm has instituted a Liaison Program to more effectively help lawyers plan their leaves, smooth their return transitions and structure their part-time arrangements. The liaisons work closely with department chairs, practice group leaders and assignment partners with respect to all aspects of attorney leaves and part-time arrangements. They also serve as an additional resource to the attorney on leave, communicating with them while they are out and serving as the point of contact for lawyers as they leave and after their return.
Great strides have also been made to update the firm's Maternity Leave and Child-Rearing Leave Policy and Part-Time Work Policy. Most recently, updates were made in June of this year to the firm's Family and Medical Leave Act, Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave, Part-Time Work and Disability Benefits policies. These changes were rolled-out by the Managing Partners and posted on the firm's intranet. The firm has also explored several emergency daycare options and has contracted with an on-site provider at International Place.
Diversity Awareness and Improving Communication Across the Firm
As part of its efforts, the Diversity Committee has sponsored a number of valuable workshops and presentations for the firm's attorneys and staff. Recently, Deval Patrick, former General Counsel of Coca Cola and Texaco, and former Assistant Attorney General in charge of Civil Rights in the Clinton administration spoke to the firm's members on diversity plans and corporate America. David Hall, a former Dean of Northeastern University's Law School and well-known commentator on diversity issues, also spoke to a large number of Choate's partners, associates and staff members about the challenges of successfully implementing diversity initiatives. To assist us in developing and implementing the firm's diversity plan, we retained Verna Myers, a nationally recognized expert in diversity issues within law firms and other legal settings.
Around the holidays, the firm's Diversity Committee hosts a "Celebration of Traditions," which features a sampling of food from all over the world. Our last celebration introduced the firm to, among other things, Tostones, Potate Latkes, Irish Cabbage bundles, Pierogies, Insalata de Navidad, Collard greens and Paska bread. Additionally, the firm hosts Diversity Dine-Around for partners and associates to discuss diversity issues in the workplace. Summaries of the lessons taken from each of those dinners are created and posted to the Diversity page on Choate's intranet.
We are keenly aware of the importance of succeeding in our goal to make the firm a friendly, welcoming environment for persons of color and women. Most recently, the firm's efforts have been recognized by Multi-Cultural Law, which listed Choate among the top 100 law firms for diversity and the top 50 law firms for women and associates. Our diversity initiative is, and will continue to be in coming years, one of the firm's highest priorities.
