Diversity: Initiatives

Minority Attorney Recruitment

In addition to traditional lateral recruitment efforts, the firm has merged with a minority-owned law firm; has entered joint ventures with other minority law firms; and participates in numerous minority job fairs including the DuPont Job Fairs, the Southeast Minority Job Fair, Northeast Job Fairs, and the Cook County, Illinois Job Fair.

The firm is pleased to take a leadership role as one of the founding signatories to the Chicago Bar Association Call to Action Diversity Initiative. This Diversity Initiative sets seven goals for the signatory law firms to attain including increasing the number of minority summer associates, minority associates and minority partners hired; increase percentage of minority partners within the firm; increase percentage of minority partners serving on firm committees; increase number and percentage of leadership positions throughout the firm held by minorities; and support professional development of minority attorneys within the firm.

The firm regularly participates in seminars on minority hiring and career panels sponsored by law school placement offices and student organizations. With respect to the number of minority attorneys, our statistics exceed those of most comparably sized firms. Since January 1, 1999, McGuireWoods has hired 365 women and minority attorneys.

The firm is especially proud of its partnership with Spelman College, a historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia, whereby junior and senior students interested in pursing legal careers are selected for internships in our Atlanta office. The rewards of this partnership are tangible.

Alan Cason, managing partner of our Baltimore office, chairs the Baltimore City Bar Association’s Minority Clerkship Program, through which exceptional minority talent is identified and selected for summer employment at McGuireWoods and other prominent Baltimore firms.

Minority Attorney Retention

McGuireWoods plans for retention, not attrition. For example, our Atlanta office comprises nearly 30% minority attorneys. Particularly true with respect to our minority attorneys, many of our summer associates return to McGuireWoods after law school as full-time associates. Our hiring partner, Jacquelyn Stone, joined the firm as a summer associate and has been with us for more than 20 years.

Jonathan Harmon also began as a summer associate and has been with the firm for 10 years. While national statistics chart minority lawyers leaving law firms at a much higher rate than their white counterparts, there is only a 1% difference in attrition rates between white and minority lawyers at McGuireWoods.

Minority Attorney Promotion

McGuireWoods works to ensure that minority and women lawyers are given opportunities to excel, as the firm’s succession plan emphasizes the value of diversity. Work is done on an individual basis to develop career advancement plans. Minority and women attorneys have regular contact with key clients and are put on lead engagements.

Reviews of key clients’ work assignments and hours billed are conducted routinely to ensure that minority and women attorneys are included in meaningful representation opportunities. Professional skill enhancement programs are offered to all attorneys, especially minorities and women. We also offer internal affinity groups for minority and women lawyers to help them develop business.