Overview
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery showcased progress on initiatives designed to drive change in its comprehensive annual report – Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Year in Review. The report highlights new programs, ongoing activities, partnerships and successes realized throughout 2020.
“While we know we still have a long road ahead, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made in developing a new strategy and expanding our commitment to deliver real, sustainable change,” McDermott Chairman Ira Coleman said. “I’m particularly excited about the full engagement at every level, across the Firm. Some of our most innovative and successful programs—such as McDermott Rise—came directly from our Associate and professional staff cohorts, and it’s incredibly inspiring. There’s no single answer, but through such new and sustained initiatives, we’re confident that we can help create a positive impact on our Firm, our profession and the communities we serve.”
McDermott’s Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion Anthony N. Upshaw added, “Our lawyers and business professionals have focused tremendous time and energy on demonstrating our commitment to equality through their actions. Programs like the ones highlighted in our annual report reflect our vision for expanding our diversity of perspectives within McDermott and we look forward to continuing this journey in 2021 and beyond.”
Highlights from Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Year in Review include:
- Launched McDermott Rise, a new offering that each year will provide select legal services at no cost to 20 Black, Indigenous and People of Color business founders and their leadership teams as they start, scale and grow their ventures.
- Joined Law Firm Antiracism Alliance as a Founding Member; the Alliance seeks to enable firms to work together, dedicating substantial pro bono resources to addressing systemic racism in a long-term, high-impact and collaborative way.
- Achieved Mansfield 3.0 Certification, reinforcing the Firm’s commitment to hiring, retaining and promoting a greater number of women, minority and LGBTQ+ leaders.
- Partnered with Lambda Legal in a pro bono effort to assist Equality North Carolina—a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to securing rights and protections for LGBTQ+ people in the state—in drafting an amicus brief in a Fourth Circuit appellate matter concerning access to and discrimination in health insurance.
- Recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for the 14th straight year as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” with a score of 100% on its annual Corporate Equality Index.
For additional details about these and other strategic initiatives and programs, please download the full Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Year in Review.
