At Keller and Heckman, we recognize that our differences strengthen us as individuals and reinforce our abilities collectively. Diversity in our professional staff is an integral component of our commitment to provide the best service possible to our clients. Keller and Heckman's reputation for innovation and creativity is in great part due to the different talents and experiences we each bring to bear in advancing the interests of our clients. We pride ourselves on the fact that our professionals – partners, counsel, associates, scientists, regulatory specialists and paralegals – come from varying backgrounds and experiences, and include racial and ethnic minorities, women, and people with different sexual orientations. Diversity is a core value and we are deeply committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and advancing professionals of diverse backgrounds and experiences at Keller and Heckman.
As part of our overall commitment to enhancing diversity in the legal profession, we are a sponsor of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA). Through our involvement with the MCCA and in other fora, we have participated in recruitment and networking opportunities with minority candidates. Because our legal practice often involves a sophisticated blending of law and science, we are able to attract talented students and lawyers of diverse backgrounds who are interested in a technology-based legal practice.
In an effort to recruit and nurture legal talent at an early stage, we have established a paid Firm internship program for first-year law students with diverse backgrounds. Our first-year internship coincides with our second-year summer associate program and lasts for twelve weeks. During the twelve weeks, the students perform substantive legal work, learn more about the law and our practice areas, receive constructive performance feedback, and are mentored by members of our professional staff. We believe that this early training and guidance is invaluable to both incoming legal professionals and our Firm. We have had great success with the recruitment and hiring of diversity candidates for our first-year internship and second-year summer associate programs, and most receive offers to join the Firm.
Diversity, in all aspects, is a key goal of the Firm and we have established a Diversity Committee to actively foster and promote this goal. We welcome and encourage diversity within Keller and Heckman at all levels. By joining together people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, including people of color, women, and other groups, we enhance our creativity, our knowledge and our ability to understand and respond to the needs of our diverse clientele.
