Antiracism & Diversity Education Conferences
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The Black Attorney Affinity Group embodies the talents and strengths of Black attorneys across the Firm, focusing on mentorship and networking, recruitment and retention, pro bono initiatives, business development and client outreach. Weil hosted or participated in 65+ targeted diversity recruiting events in 2019. The U.S. 2020 summer class was 34 percent law students of color. Weil has granted 59 Diversity Fellowships of $15,000 each in scholarship awards to first and second-year law students since 2011. The Folks party is a Weil tradition since 1987, bringing together alumni, summer associates, and Weil attorneys of color at a partner’s home. BAAG hosted a virtual welcome for Summer Associates in 2020 with BAAG members and small group opportunities to connect with Firm leaders. Diversity Recruiting The Black Attorney Affinity Group Conference in New York City brought together affinity group members from the U.S. and London offices in July 2018 for career development, client and law student networking, and strategic planning. Conference Highlights ■ Client and Alumni Networking Reception ■ Speed Mentoring Workshop benefiting PENCIL ■ “Taking Ownership of Your Career” client panel and discussion featuring Felice Gray-Kemp, Michelle Ifill and John Mbiti ■ Lunch discussion and strategic planning session with Firm leaders ■ “Career Paths and Lessons Learned” panels featuring Weil alumni and BAAG partners Adé Heyliger and Adam Banks ■ Personal Branding Workshop facilitated by Weil’s Business Development team We look forward to the next in-person conference! Conferences BAAG members participate in associate of color mentoring circles, which supplement the existing mentoring program for associates who seek additional access to partners as advisors and role models. The circles foster peer mentoring and provide a forum to discuss diversity topics at the Firm. Mentoring circles have continued to meet virtually during the pandemic. The Black Affinity Group created two Zoom mentoring circles to stay connected during this time. Associate of Color Mentoring Circles Our People In the U.S. and London offices Our 2020 partner class is the most diverse in the history of the Firm with 36% people of color, including two Black attorneys. From 2015 to 2020, partners of color have increased from 9% to 15%. Since 2016, we have promoted 4 BAAG members to partner. 1 Counsel 7 Partners 26 Associates In 2020, Weil has held 18 virtual programs for the Racial Justice Speaker Series, including: ■ How to Be an Antiracist with Professor Ibram X. Kendi ■ National Urban League’s Agenda for Change with Clint Odom (pictured above, left) ■ Race Equality, Social Justice, Human Rights and Black British History with Afua Hirsch (pictured above, middle) Weil requires all U.S. attorneys and staff to complete Annual Mandatory Diversity Training. Recent topics include: unconscious bias, implicit bias, and Talking Boldly About Race with Vernā Myers. Weil offers programming with an intersectional lens. Three of our recent programs highlight this: ■ 19th Amendment Centennial Anniversary program featuring scholars Martha Jones (pictured above, right) and Laura Free discussing the Black women of the suffrage movement. ■ Guest speaker Haben Girma, a Black woman who was the first Deafblind woman to graduate from Harvard Law. ■ Transgender Day of Remembrance Program with Imara Jones, a Black trans woman who is the founder of Translash media. Antiracism & Diversity Education
Transcript of Antiracism & Diversity Education Conferences
The Black Attorney Affinity Group embodies the talents and strengths of Black attorneys across the Firm, focusing on mentorship and networking, recruitment and retention, pro bono initiatives, business development and client outreach.
Weil hosted or participated in 65+ targeted diversity recruiting events in 2019. The U.S. 2020 summer class was 34 percent law students of color.
Weil has granted 59 Diversity Fellowships of $15,000 each in scholarship awards to first and second-year law students since 2011.
The Folks party is a Weil tradition since 1987, bringing together alumni, summer associates, and Weil attorneys of color at a partner’s home.
BAAG hosted a virtual welcome for Summer Associates in 2020 with BAAG members and small group opportunities to connect with Firm leaders.
Diversity Recruiting
The Black Attorney Affinity Group Conference in New York City brought together affinity group members from the U.S. and London offices in July 2018 for career development, client and law student networking, and strategic planning.
Conference Highlights ■ Client and Alumni Networking Reception ■ Speed Mentoring Workshop benefiting PENCIL ■ “Taking Ownership of Your Career” client panel and discussion
featuring Felice Gray-Kemp, Michelle Ifill and John Mbiti ■ Lunch discussion and strategic planning session with Firm leaders ■ “Career Paths and Lessons Learned” panels featuring Weil
alumni and BAAG partners Adé Heyliger and Adam Banks ■ Personal Branding Workshop facilitated by Weil’s Business
Development team
We look forward to the next in-person conference!
Conferences
BAAG members participate in associate of color mentoring circles, which supplement the existing mentoring program for associates who seek additional access to partners as advisors and role models. The circles foster peer mentoring and provide a forum to discuss diversity topics at the Firm. Mentoring circles have continued to meet virtually during the pandemic. The Black Affinity Group created two Zoom mentoring circles to stay connected during this time.
Associate of Color Mentoring Circles
Our People In the U.S. and London offices
Our 2020 partner class is the most diverse in the history of the Firm with 36% people of color, including two Black attorneys.From 2015 to 2020, partners of color have increased from 9% to 15%.Since 2016, we have promoted 4 BAAG members to partner.
1 Counsel
7 Partners
26 Associates
In 2020, Weil has held 18 virtual programs for the Racial Justice Speaker Series, including:
■ How to Be an Antiracist with Professor Ibram X. Kendi
■ National Urban League’s Agenda for Change with Clint Odom (pictured above, left)
■ Race Equality, Social Justice, Human Rights and Black British History with Afua Hirsch (pictured above, middle)
Weil requires all U.S. attorneys and staff to complete Annual Mandatory Diversity Training. Recent topics include: unconscious bias, implicit bias, and Talking Boldly About Race with Vernā Myers.
Weil offers programming with an intersectional lens. Three of our recent programs highlight this:
■ 19th Amendment Centennial Anniversary program featuring scholars Martha Jones (pictured above, right) and Laura Free discussing the Black women of the suffrage movement.
■ Guest speaker Haben Girma, a Black woman who was the first Deafblind woman to graduate from Harvard Law.
■ Transgender Day of Remembrance Program with Imara Jones, a Black trans woman who is the founder of Translash media.
Antiracism & Diversity Education
■ In 2019, BAAG hosted and participated in a number of events:
■ London BAAG hosted the Black British Classical Foundation, featuring opera singers and a Q&A with BBCF founder Vincent Osborne (pictured above, top).
■ Dinner with SoundCloud General Counsel Antonious Porch with WeilPride (LGBTQ+ affinity group) (pictured above, bottom)
■ Intimate dinner for Silicon Valley clients (co-hosted with WeilLatinx).
■ Special pre-screening of Harriet for clients in New York.
■ Lunch with NBCU General Counsel Kimberley Harris in New York (co-hosted by Women@Weil).
■ “Influence in the Board Room” (hosted by BAAG London), a program to provide insights into board director requirements and tips on how to obtain board roles
■ Fireside chat for associates of color with client David Arroyo, SVP and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Discovery and partner Candace Arthur.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
■ Weil attorneys are currently co-leading an effort to help the Innocence Project review its backlog of more than 7,000 requests for assistance from prospective clients who are currently incarcerated.
■ In 2020, Weil sponsored the following organizations through our ongoing Racial Justice Initiative:
■ NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
■ National Urban League
■ Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
■ Weil was one of the first law firms to join the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), whose mission is to leverage the resources of the private bar to promote racial equity in the law.
Client & Alumni Development
Management CommitteeManagement Committee Sponsors demonstrate the strength of our leadership commitment. These appointed senior leaders serve as sponsors to affinity groups for which they are not already a member. They are charged with understanding key issues the group members face and advocating for necessary change.
Contacts Candace ArthurNew York, Partner, BFR+1 212 310 [email protected]
Adam Banks New York, Partner, Litigation +1 212 310 [email protected]
Barry FishleyLondon, Partner, Corporate+44 20 7903 [email protected]
Adé HeyligerWashington D.C., Partner, Corporate+1 202 682 [email protected]
Holly LoiseauWashington D.C., Partner, Litigation+1 202 682 [email protected]
Jeff MalonsonHouston, Partner, Corporate+1 713 546 [email protected]
Bambo ObaroSilicon Valley, Partner, Litigation +1 650 [email protected]
Jannelle Seales New York, Counsel, Corporate+1 212 310 [email protected]
David Lender is the Management Committee Sponsor for The Black Attorney Affinity Group.
Chambers Diversity & Inclusion: Executive Partner Barry Wolf Outstanding Ally award
2019 Best International Firm for Diversity, Euromoney Americas Women in Business Law Awards
JUSTICE
Financial Times Most InnovativeNorth American Law Firms 2019 Weil was "Highly Commended" in the Diversity & Inclusion and Talent, Strategy and Changing Behaviors categories
