Diversity

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SAUL EWING VISION STATEMENT
Without diversity, we would all look the same, act the same and think the same.

Members of the Diversity Committee and Firm Management

At Saul Ewing LLP, we strive to be a leader among peer law firms in our diversity initiatives. We are proudly committed to diversity and to providing equal opportunities for all to succeed. We define diversity broadly as the differences among people, including race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, language and experiences. We value the different perspectives that the diversity of our attorneys and staff bring to the Firm and our clients. We not only acknowledge, but embrace, the pivotal role that diversity plays in growing and strengthening our Firm. In furtherance of its vision, Saul Ewing LLP shall:

Ensure that Firm management makes diversity a key business priority;
Support a standing Diversity Committee, that includes the leadership of other standing Firm committees such as the Hiring Committee, Evaluation Committee, Career Development Committee and Summer Program;
Develop and implement meaningful strategies for the recruitment, hiring, retention and advancement of women and minorities;
Promote the active involvement of women and minority attorneys in diversity planning; and
Vigorously encourage a Firm culture in which differing points of view are sought out, heard and respected, and in which diversity is truly valued and appreciated as an integral part of the Firm.

From a business perspective, we recognize that diversity among our attorneys enriches the quality of the services the Firm provides to our clients. We also recognize that every employee is a vital part of the organization, and that diversity throughout the entire Firm is essential to our continued success. Finally, we believe that achieving diversity in the workplace is not only the right thing to do, but is critical to the health and success of business.

Something for everyone at firm's 7th Annual Diversity Retreat

November 4, 2011 – A record-breaking 80-plus attorneys from throughout the firm gathered in Baltimore's Reginald F. Lewis Museum on October 20, 2011 for an informative afternoon focused on what it takes to be a successful lawyer – whatever your color, gender or sexual orientation.

And they loved it.

"I think the content of the retreat was applicable to everyone," said Indira Sharma, vice chair of the Diversity Committee. "We made diversity more inclusive. The key to success for a diverse attorney is the key to success for the non-diverse attorney."

To read the full story click here.

A Solid Foundation

Saul Ewing convened its first Diversity Committee in the mid-1990s. In 2001, the Diversity Committee was restructured to include key decision makers. After an extensive national search, the firm retained Dr. Arin Reeves of the Athens Group who conducted a needs assessment and diversity dialogues with attorneys and staff and made recommendations to the Diversity Committee. These activities resulted in our Strategic Plan for Diversity, which is the centerpiece of Saul Ewing's Diversity initiatives. The Plan is incorporated into the firm's overall business plan, with the nine-member Diversity Committee pursuing the Plan's goals and objectives.

Historically, the firm has pursued many avenues to promote diversity and inclusion internally and externally. In 1993, Saul Ewing signed the Statement of Goals of Philadelphia Law Firms and Legal Departments for Increasing Minority Representation and Retention and, in 1998, the Statement of Goals for the Retention and Promotion of Women Attorneys, both of which were promulgated by the Philadelphia Bar Association. Saul Ewing became a signatory to the Capital Area Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative Statement of Purpose, Principles and Objectives in 2004. In 2007, Multicultural Law Magazine recognized Saul Ewing as one of the Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity. As a result of Diversity Committee discussions, the firm established its Women's Development Initiative (WDI) Committee in 2009. In February 2011, Orlan M. Johnson, partner and chair of the Diversity Committee and a former attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, was named a "trailblazer" by the SEC's African American Council in observance of African American History Month.

The firm's interest in and support of diversity is significant:

In the 1970s, an African-American lawyer joined the partnership, thus becoming the first lawyer of color to achieve that position at Saul Ewing and the first minority partner in a large firm in Baltimore.
A woman lawyer was elevated to the partnership for the first time in 1983.
Minority and women lawyers play a major role in firm governance.
The position of Executive Partner is held by a woman. Another serves on our seven-person Executive Committee. Women represent 30 percent of departmental vice chairs.
Four of the firm's 13 committees are led by women.

Our Approach to Recruitment and Retention

We pride ourselves on consistently hiring law students from a wide variety of backgrounds for our summer program. In addition, in keeping with our goals and objectives, we use a range of resources to ensure that we consider diverse pools of lateral candidates. We are equally dedicated to maintaining a diverse workforce. Through the firm's formal mentoring program, each associate receives ongoing direction and encouragement.

Understanding that informal mentoring is another critical element along the path to partnership, we sponsor an annual Diversity and Inclusion Retreat that brings our minority lawyers, members of the Diversity Committee and other partners together for a day of fellowship, substantive training and networking. Minority lawyers are encouraged to participate in local, state and national minority bar associations to cultivate business relationships, develop leadership skills and interact with role models. Similarly, the firm supports the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and sends minority and women lawyers to the annual Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference, the CLE Expo and the General Counsel Invitational Golf and Spa Weekend. Lawyers and staff work together as volunteers on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and participate in diversity lunch outings and other conduct consciousness-raising activities throughout the year.

Community Outreach is Ongoing

Saul Ewing's holistic approach to diversity and inclusion mandates our financial support of organizations that provide services to diverse constituencies. Some of our sponsorships include the following:

Minority Corporate Counsel Association
National Bar Association
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Southeast Regional Conference
South Asian Bar Association of DC Public Interest Fellowship
Philadelphia Diversity Law Group
Harrisburg Minority Job Fair
Delaware Minority Job Fair
Greater Baltimore Committee Bridging the Gap Achievement Awards
Washington Area Legal Recruiters Administrators Association (WALRAA) Annual Diversity Networking Event
Pennsylvania Bar Association Diversity Summit
Philadelphia Bar Association National Symposium on Diversity
Black Law Students Association at the University of MD School of Law Annual Awards and Scholarship Banquet
Asian Pacific American Law Student Association at the University of MD School of Law Annual Diversity Banquet
Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Regional F. Lewis Museum of Maryland Roberto Clemente Exhibit