Our leadership is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace for all. We understand that achieving greater diversity is essential to delivering excellent service to our clients. We are dedicated to providing a work environment where people of all backgrounds, including people of different ages, colors, genders, races, national origins, religions, sexual orientations or disabilities, are valued for their perspectives, skills and talent. Maintaining a workplace where all people can maximize their potential and achieve personal success makes us a stronger, more productive law firm. Our diversity and inclusiveness efforts are focused in three areas: (1) hiring and retaining highly qualified attorneys; (2) maintaining legal expertise for the counseling of increasingly diverse clients; and (3) making meaningful contributions to the civic and charitable fabric of the communities we serve.
Our Diversity Committee reports directly to the firm’s Executive Committee. Members of the committee are representative of the firm’s diversity. The Diversity Committee devotes special resources to three initiatives in specialized efforts to attract and retain diverse attorney talent and to mesh the interests of our firm with the expectations of our clients. The Hispanic/Latino, African-American and Women’s initiatives are responsive to the needs and opportunities of our firm’s cultural and business contexts.
The Committee
The committee is chaired by Susan Livingston. The African–American Initiative is co–chaired by associates, Steve Parker and Houston Smith. Steve serves on the Alabama State Bar Diversity in the Profession Committee, Birmingham Metropolitan Diversity Coalition, and the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce African American Business Council. The Hispanic–Latino initiative is chaired by Wendy Padilla Madden. Wendy serves as the chair of the Hispanic Business Council for the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and also chairs the Spanish Speaking Lawyers Committee for the Alabama State Bar Association. The Women’s Initiative is chaired by partner Kelly Brennan Bolvig. The firm's Diversity Committee includes representatives from each office and includes partners, associates, staff and management. Other Committee members are Matt Ames, Lisa Arrington, Peter LeJeune, Mike Edwards, Doug Kauffman, David Miceli, Chris Wansley, Riley Roby, Lisa Sharp and Barrie Wilson.
Hiring and Retention
We participate in a variety of targeted recruiting functions including the Southeastern Minority Job Fair, Sunbelt Minority Job Fair, National Black Law Students Association Job Fair and the Atlanta Legal Diversity Consortium. We hold special functions at law schools offering diverse candidates and provide mentoring workshops and pre-law study scholarships to targeted colleges and universities. To support our attorneys in the development of their careers, we provide individual mentoring with an emphasis on fostering early client contact and development of subject matter expertise.
Supporting Clients
Balch & Bingham LLP has seen generations of attorneys mature and season alongside their counterparts in our most important clients. This process continues today and as we present a more diverse picture, so do our clients. We firmly believe this makes us better able to serve our clients and enhances the merit of our counsel.
Civic and Charitable Goals
Our attorneys and staff support more than 100 charitable and civic organizations in the communities we serve. Our people serve in leadership positions in pivotal groups like the Urban League, YWCA, The Women’s Fund, The United Negro College Fund, Women’s Section of the Birmingham Bar, The Sickle Cell Foundation, The Magic City Bar Association, YMCA, Operation New Birmingham, Leadership Alabama, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Leadership Birmingham, the Urban League, the United Way, Girls, Incorporated, the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, Anti-Defamation League and the Georgia Diversity Program.
