As a firm, we place a premium on the unique perspectives of individuals from a range of backgrounds, beliefs and life experiences. We believe this tradition helps to keep the firm an open and exciting place to work.
By prioritizing diversity and inclusion issues, we promote an environment where women and men of different races, national origins, religions and sexual orientations can practice law in a collegial and effective manner.
Our active Committee on Diversity Issues, made up of partners and associates, has three areas of focus: recruitment of law students and lawyers of diverse backgrounds, professional development of diverse lawyers, and promotion of an open and ongoing dialogue on a wide range of diversity issues.
It is our view that diversity begins with recruitment. As a result, the Diversity Committee takes an active role in our on-campus and in-office recruiting efforts. These efforts include not only traditional interview and follow-up activities, but also panel discussions, lunches and other events with minority first-year law students to introduce them to Cleary Gottlieb. In 2010, Cleary Gottlieb participated in the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity’s Corporate Law program that gives incoming law students an opportunity to experience a corporate law firm before they enter their first year of law school. As part of the program, we hosted a luncheon for all interns in the Washington, DC program. In addition, we hosted a mock interview program for minority first-year law students in Washington and we participate in several other outreach efforts including the Harvard Black Law Students Association job fair, the Washington Area Legal Recruitment Administrators Association Annual Summer Associate Diversity Reception, the George Washington University 1L Lambda Law Networking Reception and the DC Road Show. We also conduct information sessions for 1Ls preparing for the recruiting process.
Cleary Gottlieb supports a number of events throughout the year sponsored by various organizations that promote and celebrate diversity. We encourage our lawyers to attend and actively participate in these events. Some of the recent events include the National Association of Women Lawyers' "Seven Habits of Successful Women Rainmakers" and the DC Minority Attorney Networking Series.
The Diversity Committee coordinates with the Associates Committee to address mentoring, training and work assignment issues as they affect lawyers in different minority groups. We sponsor periodic lunches and firm-wide panel discussions about diversity in the workplace, and occasionally invite outside speakers to discuss gender, race and professional development.
For more information on diversity at the firm, please click here.