Founded on principles of individualism and collegiality, Cleary Gottlieb understands that a commitment to diversity is crucial to our excellence as a law firm. Our lawyers come from a wide array of cultural, educational and ethnic backgrounds and bring unique perspectives and ideas to our global legal practice. This multiplicity of ideas and outlooks allows for premier client service, with our lawyers working together to find creative and innovative solutions that are often not apparent at the outset.
The firm has been a leader in this area for decades. Our former managing partner Ned Stiles sat as the inaugural chair on the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Committee to Enhance Diversity in the Legal Profession. By helping to draft the Bar’s mission statement on diversity, Cleary Gottlieb played a key role in bringing these ideals and principles to the profession at large. As President of the New York City Bar, Evan Davis, a litigator in our practice, furthered these principles. During his tenure, Evan enlisted in-house legal departments to insist on diversity from the vendors of legal services and also helped found the South African Visiting Lawyers Program, which aims to better integrate black South Africans into the legal profession through internships at law firms and investment banks. In addition, Evan advocated strongly for same-sex marriage to be recognized under existing New York State law, an effort for which he received the 2002 Public Service Award from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Law Association (LeGaL).
Continuing in this tradition, Cleary Gottlieb has an active Committee on Diversity Issues that consists of over forty lawyers of all levels of seniority, including partners, counsel, senior attorneys and associates from the full range of our practice areas. Participating in various subcommittees, the members of the Diversity Committee work with the Recruiting Committee and the Associates Committee to ensure that Cleary Gottlieb hires diverse classes of lawyers, promotes community-building, maintains communication with organizations outside Cleary Gottlieb that focus on diversity matters, provides training to lawyers and administrative staff and hosts events to promote awareness of diversity issues.
Committee on Diversity Issues New York Office Arthur Kohn, Co-Chair
Kara Hailey, Co-Chair
Elizabeth ChangKevin JonesDavid Leinwand Erika Nijenhuis Jaime El Koury Janet FisherHeide Ilgenfritz Kimberly SpieringRyan TotejaCarlos von der HeydeLua YuilleLisa VicensEvan DavisJoon KimAnthony CerceoYana CernobilskyJohn HarrisonCarla PassosKate CurrieDaphney FrançoisJeffrey PennKimberly SpoerriMark Leddy, ex officio
Jeffrey Karpf, ex officio
Jorge Juantorena, ex officio
Norma Cirincione, ex officio
Carlos Dávila-Caballero, ex officio
Donna Harris, ex officio
Mary Watson, ex efficio
Washington Office Shawn Chen, Chair
Linda Soldo Michael Mazzuchi Jeremy Calsyn Nina Frant Stephanie Hinderks Jay Lee Antonio Reynolds Omar Serageldin Kish Vinayagamoorthy Georgia Emery Gray, ex officio
Richild Stewart, ex officio
London OfficeMaurits Dolmans, Co-Chair
Glen Scarcliffe, Co-Chair
Chris Macbeth Akima Paul Saira Awan-Malik Jo Moat, ex officio