Commitment To Diversity
Founded in 1974, Gordon & Rees has grown from a small, respected San Francisco practice to a nationally recognized law firm with offices throughout California and the United States. One of the firm's top priorities is to hire talented lawyers and professional staff from our diverse population. We have actively sought people who reflect vibrant cultures, embracing those of all races, religions, national origins, disabilities, genders and sexual orientations.
Promoting Diversity
Gordon & Rees hosts an annual series of diversity roundtable forums to discuss issues of minority recruitment, retention and promotion in the legal field. The forums have discussed topics such as, "Promoting Diversity in the Legal Profession", "Making a Case for Women in the Legal Profession: A Call to Action" and "Capital Improvements: Building a Better Pipeline".
The firm sponsors associates to attend conferences and events focused on promoting diversity in the legal community. Each year, Gordon & Rees sends some of their minority associates to the "Chart Your Own Course" conference, an event that provides a forum for junior associates in large law firms to meet and network with minority partners and in-house corporate counsel.
Gordon & Rees actively supports minority law school students. The firm has taken part in the Bay Area Minority Clerkship Program by hiring a minority first year law student. In addition, Gordon & Rees hosts an annual statewide Diversity Reception for second year law students to recruit minority candidates for the Summer Associate Program.
Supporting the Diversity Pipeline Continuum
Recognized in 2006 by Minority Law Journal and MultiCultural Law magazine for its progress in increasing diversity, Gordon & Rees will continue its commitment to diversity in 2007 with initiatives focused on "Filling the Minority Pipeline." In reference to targeted pipeline programs, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association has found that companies are offering internships, scholarships, and other opportunities not only to diverse law students and college-level students, but in many cases to those as young as high school age, with the goal of exposing young people to a career in law and other educational opportunities available to them. Some law department leaders claim that investing in "pipeline" programs will be one of the most important strategies of their diversity initiatives. Gordon & Rees' major projects support the continuum to increase and retain minorities in the legal profession.
- A joint scholarship with Palm Inc. organized by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA). Gordon & Rees with PDA powerhouse, Palm Inc., will be jointly sponsoring a Lloyd M. Johnson Jr. Scholarship, given to ten newly accepted law students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help defray their education expenses. The total scholarship is $30,000 (a $10,000 commitment for 3 years).
- Gordon & Rees will provide 2 LSAT scholarships to financially disadvantaged minority students who would otherwise not consider applying to law school due to the expenses associated with an LSAT prep course and law school application fees.
- Gordon & Rees sponsored b.a.y. fund's Cap and Gown Gala, an event to raise funds and celebrate b.a.y. fund's efforts to help students be the first in their family to graduate from college. b.a.y. fund is a program that financially supports and mentors disadvantaged high school students so they will be the first in their families to finish college and break the cycle of poverty.
- Gordon & Rees hosted its third annual Diversity Roundtable Forum focusing on why diverse candidates are "leaking" out of the pipeline - primarily before and during law school and what efforts can be made at different educational levels to encourage diverse students to pursue a career in law.
Our Diversity Honors
-- 2007 Minority Law Journal - Ranked 73 among NLJ 250 law firms. Gordon & Rees¿ progress over the past three years has been significant, moving from 170 in 2005 to 73 in 2007.
- 2007 Ranked in the Top 100 of Most Diverse Law Firms in the U.S. by MultiCultural Law Magazine.
-- 2007 & 2006 Recipient of Multicultural Heritage Award by San Diego Business Journal and Wells Fargo.
-- 2005 Recipient of the Defense Research Institute (DRI) Law Firm Diversity Award.
The DRI Law Firm Diversity Award recognizes a law firm that has achieved outstanding diversity goals. This includes significant success in the area of law firm department management while also demonstrating a commitment to increase diversity within and outside the firm. Criteria for the award include a demonstrated commitment to diversity as evidenced by a formal diversity plan committed to achievement, sensitivity and receptivity of diversity issues including promotion of its minority and women attorneys. DRI is the nation's largest organization of defense trial lawyers and corporate counsel.
Gordon & Rees is committed to promoting diversity in the legal profession by, among other things, sponsoring events for minority organizations and expanding its ties to the legal and business communities. Gordon & Rees' top priorities include actively recruiting minority lawyers and law students and providing professional support and development to them so that they will choose to be a permanent part of the firm's future.
