Non-Legal Professionals

Established in 1934 as a tax practice in Chicago, Illinois, the expansion of our platform has supported our clients’ numerous cross-border transactions and litigation matters, while providing the experience necessary to offer corporate and commercial, international and domestic tax, labor and benefits, competition, intellectual property and regulatory counsel to clients across all industries.

Our core values are straightforward and apply to every interaction with clients, colleagues and members of the community:

• Excellence
• Teamwork and Support
• Integrity
• Citizenship
• Diversity

DIVERSITY

At McDermott, diversity means more than differences in gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation and identity. It embraces a breadth of ideas, experiences, perspectives and insights that span lines of age, background and culture. Because solutions to complex problems often require broad and innovative approaches, a diverse team of lawyers and professionals is most likely to provide that breadth of approach.

McDermott works continuously at the highest level of Firm management to ensure equal access to all client development activities, challenging work assignments and viable advancement options for all lawyers. We do so by taking the following actions:

• Supporting inclusion and equality at all management levels
• Providing training, mentoring opportunities, recognition and funding for the development of sustainable and growing practices, as well as professional reputations
• Identifying and addressing possible conscious and unconscious stereotypes and biases
• Using surveys and open discussions to solicit our lawyers’ views on our diversity programs and objectives, in an effort to foster and maintain a culture of inclusion and equality
• Communicating that compensation is non-discriminatory
• Implementing reduced-time and flexible schedules to ensure professional development and long-term careers for those lawyers who seek to avail themselves of these alternative work arrangements

PRO BONO & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

We recognize the need to give back to the communities of which we are a part and to assist those who are unable to afford legal services.

It is estimated that at least 80 percent of low-income Americans go without much-needed legal assistance. We offer a comprehensive pro bono and community service program managed and led by our Firm-wide pro bono litigation partner and the chair of our Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, which seeks to ensure that the same Firm standards of quality, service and care that are given to our paying clients are also afforded to those we serve on a pro bono basis.

As individuals and through office-organized initiatives, our lawyers and professional staff are also actively involved in serving our communities. Each year, we work with hundreds of agencies, organizations and charities across the country. Here’s just one example: as part of our Kids First Initiative, McDermott lawyers and staff dedicate countless hours to mentoring and tutoring inner-city students, teaching students about their constitutional rights, encouraging students to pursue higher education and careers in the legal profession, and acting as mock trial and debate coaches for schools in some of the poorest communities.