Press Release
| October 16, 2008
Dewey & LeBoeuf Receives Prestigious Thomas L. Sager Award for Commitment to Diversity
(New York, October 16, 2008) - Dewey & LeBoeuf is proud to announce that it has been awarded the 2008 Thomas L. Sager Award for the Northeast Region by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA).
This prestigious award recognizes the law firm that demonstrates the highest sustained commitment to improving the hiring, retention and promotion of minority and women attorneys.
"The business interests of our firm and clients require representation that reflects the diversity of our employees and the communities in which Dewey & LeBoeuf operates - and we hold ourselves to a high standard in this regard," said Dewey & LeBoeuf Chairman Steven H. Davis. "Although we are proud of this accomplishment and view it as a barometer that our initiatives in diversity are making visible progress, we in no way see this as the 'finish line' in our journey."
Among the initiatives the firm has launched over the last year, include:
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Connections Across Differences: Connections Across Differences is designed to support diverse third and fourth-year associates in their transition from mid-level associate through an intensive mentoring experience.
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Formal Attorney Networks: The firm is formalizing affinity groups that provide attorneys with professional and social networking opportunities. These groups will also have a chance to support recruiting initiatives, organize internal and external outreach programs, and meet with the firm's leadership to discuss ways to enhance the retention and professional development of diverse attorneys.
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Law School Ambassador Pilot Program: Through this program, Dewey & LeBoeuf seeks to build strong relationships with law school affinity groups with hopes of strengthening its diversity recruiting efforts. Target schools include Columbia University, Harvard University, Howard University, New York University, the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.
The Thomas L. Sager award is presented annually in five US regions. The firm was selected from among 20 peer firms that submitted applications for the award in the Northeast region, which includes New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Northern New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The MCCA was founded in 1997 to advocate for the expanded hiring, retention, and promotion of minority attorneys in corporate law departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA accomplishes its mission through the collection and dissemination of information about diversity in the legal profession. The award is named after DuPont Vice President and General Counsel Thomas L. Sager.
Dewey & LeBoeuf also recently earned a perfect score and top rating of 100 percent in the 2009 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The survey aims to evaluate businesses on policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals including non-discrimination policies, transgender health benefits and domestic partner benefits. Only 16 New York-based law firms earned 100 percent in this survey, which is in its seventh year.
This memorandum is intended only as a general discussion of these issues. It is not considered to be legal advice. We would be pleased to provide additional details or advice about specific situations. For additional information on this important topic, please feel free to call upon your Dewey & LeBoeuf relationship partner. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form, without our prior written consent.
For further information on Dewey & LeBoeuf, please visit www.dl.com. +1 888 532 6383