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Diversity Initiative Commitment

At DLA Piper, diversity is a core value and is fundamental to our success.  As a key component of our client commitment, diversity enables us to acquire the best talent and create effective teams.  Diversity also makes good business sense because with it, we are able to leverage different perspectives and experiences to tackle complex legal problems in a way that gives our clients strategic advantage.  We also believe that championing diversity is simply the right thing to do.The firm's full-time Director of Diversity works with the firm's Diversity Committee, comprised of minority and non-minority partners from each of the firm's major offices, liaisons from the firm's Associates' and Associate Review and Compensation Committees, and members of the Professional Development, Marketing, and Recruiting Departments.

With diversity being a key element of the firm's strategic plan, we have created a diversity initiative headed by a full-time director and supported by a national committee comprised of the firm's national co-chairs, partners from each major office, national and lateral hiring chairs, chair of the committee on associate review and compensation, national people officer and national director of professional development.  The goal of the diversity initiative is to improve diversity within the firm and make DLA Piper a model for other large law firms.  The strategic objectives center around recruitment, retention and promotion.

Recruitment

Increase representation of diverse attorneys at the firm.

• Work closely with national and local hiring committees to develop strategic programs for recruiting diverse candidates.
  

• Effect systemic change by diversifying the composition of hiring partners.
  

• Develop a strategic plan for hiring and evaluating diversity in the lateral hiring process.

Retention

Retain diverse lawyers by creating a culture that is inclusive and sensitive to the needs and concerns of all lawyers.

• Partner with the professional development team to insure that diversity is an integral part of mentoring and training programs.
  

• Sponsor a national annual diversity retreat to focus on professional development and foster a sense of community.
  

• Support local diversity committees in each office to develop programming tailored to the needs of each location.
  

• Provide ongoing support to affinity groups as a network and support structure.
  

Promotion

Develop a culture where opportunities for success are available to everyone, and the processes for achieving success are transparent.

• Perform ongoing quantitative and qualitative assessments to better understand the firm's needs and help the firm address diversity needs in each practice group.
  

• Participate in the hiring, review and compensation processes.
  

• Monitor the hours and quality of work assigned to associates.
  

• Contribute to the partnership nominations process, advising on the impact of diversity.
  

In our Own Words

Hear our lawyers speak to these issues in their own words:

"From my earliest experiences as a first-year summer associate at the firm during the summer of 1991 to the present, I have found the firm to be a place where hard work, patience, and loyalty are rewarded with opportunity. I never have asked for more than that, and the firm has delivered in that regard. My own experience largely has been influenced by the enduring presence of several prominent African American partners, each of whom has mentored me and invested a personal stake in my fortunes here. Equally important, the firm historically has recognized the value of diversity, from its hiring of current Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert Bell and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke at the outset of each one's legal career, to its landmark merger with the legendary African American law firm Russell & Thompson in 1987. These past commitments, coupled with the firm's ongoing efforts to become more diverse, leave me satisfied that the firm is a place where I and other minorities not only can survive, but also thrive."    - Guy Flynn, Baltimore

"The number one goal of the firm is to fulfill every need of our clients. Part of satisfying clients' needs is being able to relate to and accept them as individuals of diverse backgrounds. As an Indian associate at the firm I have worked with a multitude of men and women of many races and ethnicities, all of whom work together to provide personalized service designed to satisfy clients' needs."    - Raj Shah, Chicago