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A Barnes & Thornburg Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Publication 2020 Annual Report
OUR 3-PART PLATFORM
Welcome to Barnes & Thornburg’s 2020 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Annual Report. We’ve entitled it “Forward,” which we get is a bit odd for a publication designed to provide a literal “look back” at the year prior. But as we sat down and reflected on 2020 through the lens of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, “forward” emerged most fitting. In the face of what has now proven to be one of the most challenging (indeed, gut-wrenching) years in modern history to date, we (like everyone else in world), had a choice to make. Relative to our long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, would we play to win (i.e., look ahead (“forward”) toward our DEI vision for the firm and make decisions commensurate with such), or play not to lose. According to the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, the distinction is striking: Our hope is that in the pages that follow you glean that we chose the former (i.e. chose to play to win), without equivocation. Indeed and just by way of example, from keeping our word to law students counting on Barnes & Thornburg to deliver an amazing summer opportunity, aggressively recruiting diverse talent at all levels, markedly expanding diversity amongst our partnership and other leadership ranks, to the deliberate investment of more resources to advance our DEI objectives (inclusive of launching a Racial and Social Justice Foundation that ultimately gave out $200,000 to organizations across the country dedicated to fighting racism and social injustice), our hope is that the pages that follow affirm that while we are at times definitively “marred by dust and sweat and blood” (and will continue to be), our commitment to change – to better – is as real as it gets. Enjoy!
Co-Chairs DEI Committee
Robert T. Grand
Dawn R. Rosemond
View Bio
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
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CULTURE
INDUSTRY TAKE–NOTEABLES
BY THE NUMBERS
RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION
QUOTE
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Mission Vision Core
Our Committee
To position all of our talent to win – individually, collectively, and for our clients.
OUR MISSION
To align the business of diversity and inclusion so fully with the business of the firm that top talent from all backgrounds sees Barnes & Thornburg as both the preferred destination and educational standard relative to excellence, inclusive engagement, and empowerment in action.
OUR VISION
We strive to reflect the clients we serve and the communities in which we have the privilege to practice law. We define, promote and embrace diversity broadly to foster authentic inclusion. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion permeates every aspect of how we conduct business. We are responsible stewards of our resources, taking care to use our influence, brand, purchasing power, and thought leadership to drive diversity and inclusion growth outside the walls of our firm. We proactively seek out and pursue opportunities to better support, empower, and promote our talent. We continuously look for innovative solutions to remain effective, relevant, and in tune with our clients’ values and business objectives.
OUR CORE
The Pillars of Our Commitment
TALENT RESOURCE GROUP LEADS
STANDING/EX OFFICIO POSITIONS
VOLUNTEER OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES
CO-CHAIRS
Robert T. Grand Dawn R. Rosemond
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATOR
Kelly Atkinson
BTAPA Mark Kittaka David Wong BTParents Jennifer Borchelt Sean Phipps BTBlack Michael Battle Melanie Mawema A. Elizabeth Underwood BTLatinx Ladene Mendoza Katrina Thompson BTPride Amber Bollman Brian Jarman BTWomen Denise Lazar
Firm Managing Partner (Robert T. Grand) General Counsel (Karoline Jackson) Chief Operating Officer (Steven Merkel) Chief HumanResources Officer(Monica Payne) Director of LawSchool Programs (Sarah Evenson) Law StudentRecruiting Chair (Kathleen Matsoukas) Chief Legal Talent Officer (Savannah Robinson) Chief LegalRecruiting Officer (Jesse Reeves)
Laing Akers (Columbus) Christina Baugh (Atlanta) Lauren Box (Indianapolis) Michael Carrillo (Chicago) Juanita DeLoach (Dallas) Michael Durham (South Bend/Elkhart) Dominique Gallacher (New York) Autumn Gear (Minneapolis) Thomas Hanson (Wilmington) Aisha Hasan (Raleigh) Salvador LaViña (Los Angeles) Michelle Mikol (Washington, D.C.) Alison Rego (San Diego) Tejas Shah (Chicago) Erika Weiss (Michigan)
CORE Members: Roscoe Howard (Chair) Ken Inskeep Bill Nolan Melissa Vallone Heather Willey Troy Zander
Internal Sub-Committee: Eric Babych Lindsey Dates Heather Delgado Ann Grayson Gigi Murphy Victor Vital
CORE Members: Roscoe Howard (Chair) Ken External Sub-CommitteeAlicia Raines BarrsEric FisherJoe FullenkampAisha HasanThomas HansonJessica LindemannAmanda MailletSherry MartinMelanie MawemaTabitha MeierElizabeth UnderwoodInskeep Bill Nolan Melissa Vallone Heather Willey Troy Zander
Ex Officio: Robert T. Grand Steven Merkel Dawn R. Rosemond
Talent Resource Groups
Rising to the occasion IN the Midst of Crisis
CONTINUED MOMENTUM
Up 4.97%
322
161
Participants
Pairings
VISION-themed Programs
10
Continuously integrating our standout Parental Leave Policy
Hosted "Family Ties"Panels To Support Team BT
3
“Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste” – Winston Churchill
OUR TRGs IN ACTION
Full remote status for all 1,200+ attorneys and business professionals
Hired and successfully on-boarded 205 new employees (84% diverse)
Raised over $62,000 to feed those in need, across the country
Created COVID-19 Resources webpage, with related contents reaching nearly 37,000 contacts with thought leadership
Dedicated DEI segment in weekly BT Remote internal newsletter, designed to help stabilize our teammates
Created and launched dedicated programming to support minority talent
Started a partnership with Stakeholders, Inc. to provide coaching to lawyers of color during times of crisis
Published nearly 100 pieces of digital thought leadership and content related to DEI
Hosted Unparalleled Firmwide Virtual Town Halls Sponsored by
2
BTBlack
Innovative PRIDE Month Celebrations Firmwide Sponsored by
BTPride
LAUNCH OF BTParents
Network for Our Parent Teammates and Allies
Continued Momentum
Ever-GROWING Parental Leave Policy
Empowering our talent
Targeted Academy Courses
Gender Equity: Cross-Country Conversations - Sponsored by
BTLaw
BTWomen
Click to expand
DEI & the Firmwide Strategic Plan
Expanding our Outreach
1L Diversity Scholarships
Diverse Supplier Program Strides
Deliberate Integration of DEI Into Firmwide Strategic Plan
Creation and release of interactive DEI Demographic Data Resource to ALL partners to drive accountability
Hosted DEI overview sessions for all new lateral partners
Created Diverse Talent Directory to drive engagement of our diverse talent
Ever-Growing External Thought Leadership
Provided DEI training and counseling to more than clients and corporate partners to support or help launch their own DEI commitments
20
1L Diversity Scholarship Recipients
Mounir Jamal, University Maurer School of Law
Corrine Conway, University of Illinois College of Law
Jorge Ortiz, University of Notre Dame Law School
NEW Diverse Supplier Program: Launched and Making Strides
Creation of firmwide resource to locate and connect with diverse suppliers across our national footprint
of our suppliers are in our diverse supplier program
30%
Hosted trainings through BTLaw Academy to drive diverse procurement
INDIANAPOLIS
CHICAGO
SOUTH BEND
Creation of The Download New Monthly Firmwide DEI Newsletter
continued elevation of our brand
Increased functionality for our "Celebration of Uniqueness" calendar
Continuing to Honor the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with firmwide "Day of Service" and words by our 2020 Honoree
THE DOWNLOAD
BRAND ELEVATION
Diversity Matters Podcast
Honoring DR. Martin Luther King. Jr.
Signature communication that closed the gap relative to our commitment to DEI
Drives our initiatives and connects our team to our DEI core values
Primary vehicle to deliver more than 200 firmwide resources to inform, stabilize and heal
Through it, offered firmwide, more than 40 monthly live, interactive, and/or reflective education and growth opportunities
Nearly DEI-related social posts
300
Over online impressions
218,000+
Excerpt from Lindsey's call to action: “We limit Dr. King to the soaring rhetoric of his most famous speech, without exploring the angst of his frustration which kept him grounded.… In doing so, we fail to acknowledge that Dr. King was himself a radical for love, buoyed by truth. Despite our current diagnosis, I know that healing will come one day. Like Dr. King, “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. . . . I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
The Camille B. Conway “Diversity Award” is given in recognition of the late Camille Conway, a Chicago partner, in appreciation of his contributions to diversity efforts in the firm. The award honors those in the firm who go above and beyond to foster a true inclusive and equitable work environment.
1. "Thriving in the Midst of the COVID-19 Crisis"
2. "No More Business As Usual"
3. "Standing for Change - Conversation with Partner Lindsey Dates"
Published transformative summer edition of our DEI magazine (IAMBT) tackling head on, the duel pandemics of COVID-19 and racism, with curated covers by renowned artist, Theopolis Smith of Phresh Laundry™, and raw reflections from our own, about how we move forward.
EPISODE:
Published transformative summer edition of our DEI magazine (IAMBT) tackling head on, the duel pandemics of COVID-19 and racism, with curated covers by renowned artist, Theoplis Smith of Phresh Laundry™, and raw reflections from our own, about how we move forward
LISTEN TO EPISODE
Camille B. Conway Diversity Award
ATTORNEY
79.2% Women
18% Minority
3.0% LGBTQ
1.8% Veteran
1.1% Disabled
FIRMWIDE
29% Women
13.3% Minority
35
Black/African-American attorneys
5.38%
market (3.5%)
Continued Growth of Diverse Partner representation
Minority PARTNERS
Partner Promotions
MINORITY PARTNER PROMOTIONS
Up 15.4% YOY
67% Women and Minorities incl. LGBTQ
Up 17.5% YOY
Total New Hires (84% Diverse)
112
59
women
minority
OUR SUMMER CLASS
2%
60%
42.8%
LGBTQ
WOMEN
MINORITY
Legal Department Leadership women and minority
44.4%
92.9%
Office Administrators women and minority
50%
C-Suite Leadership women and minority
Department Directors women and minority
21.1%
Office Managing Partners/Partners In Charge women and minority
HOVER OVER CHARTS BELOW TO VIEW STATS
DIVERSE REPRESENTATION AT ALL LEVELS
Unless annotated to expand, "Minority" refers only to individuals identifying with one or more of the following racial/ethnic groups: African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American, Alaska Native/American Indian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Multiracial
205
named to Crain's Chicago Business Notable Women in Law list
5
Heather Delgado Partner (Chicago)
Paula Goedert Partner (Chicago)
Denise Lazar Partner (Chicago)
Norma Zeitler Partner (Chicago)
named to BTI Client Services All-Stars 2020:
Scott Godes – Partner (Washington, D.C.) Tracy Knox – Partner (Chicago) Deborah Pollack-Milgate – Partner (Indianapolis) Dawn R. Rosemond – Partner (Fort Wayne) Kenneth Yerkes – Partner (Indianapolis)
4
Continued Partnership with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)
Our 2020 Fellow: Katrina Thompson Partner (Columbus)
Our 2020 Pathfinder: A. Elizabeth Underwood Associate (Fort Wayne)
Our 2020 LCLD 1L Scholar: Juan Antonio Salazar-Aguero
A New York Times Feature Lindsey D. G. Dates Partner (Chicago)
Inclusion in the National Black Lawyers
Top 100
Juanita DeLoach Partner (Dallas)
Alicia Raines Barrs Associate (Dallas)
Roscoe Howard Partner (Washington, D.C.)
Cover of Christina Baugh Partner (Atlanta)
Named to 2020
Lawyers of Color® lists
The Power List
The Hot List
The Nation’s Best List
Michael Carrillo, Partner (Chicago) Roscoe Howard, Partner (Washington, D.C.)
Angela B. Freeman, Partner (Indianapolis) Autumn Gear, Associate (Minneapolis) Erika Weiss, Associate (Grand Rapids) James Vergara, Partner (Chicago)
Michael Battle, Partner (Washington, D.C.) Lindsey D. G. Dates, Partner (Chicago) Sarah Hawk, Partner (Atlanta) Mark Kittaka, Partner (Fort Wayne) Alan Mills, Partner (Indianapolis) Dawn R. Rosemond, Partner (Fort Wayne) Tejas Shah, Partner (Chicago) Katrina Thompson, Partner (Columbus) David Wong, Partner (Indianapolis)
40 Under 40
INDUSTRY TAKE-NOTEABLES
Jumped 166 points on the 2020 AmLaw Diversity Scorecard
16
Named a 2020 “Top 100 Law Firms for Women” by WomenInc Magazine
Americas Women Magazine
NATIONAL STRIDES
Inc.
INtroducing...
BOARD MEMBERS: Connie Lahn (President) Allen Baum Michael Carrillo Roscoe Howard EX OFFICIO: Robert T. Grand Steven Merkel Dawn R. Rosemond
“It’s time to not just speak out against racial and social injustices, but to translate those words into meaningful and tangible actions and commitments. As we reach the end of this challenging year, we’re proud to have put a stake in the ground, and we look forward to working with the amazing nonprofits we’ve selected. Theirwork inspires us to be better, and we hope with our support they can have an even greater impact in our communities.”
– Connie Lahn Foundation President, and Minneapolis Office Managing Partner
Began with an initial in personal commitments from firm leadership
$75k
$200k
Raised funds from firmwide team members totaling more than
$50,000 Grants
Investing in Change Around the Country, Where We Live and Work
Public Advocates in Community re-Entry(PACE) – Indianapolis, Indiana
All Square Minneapolis, Minnesota
Social Justice Learning Institute Los Angeles, California
VISIT WEBSITE
Project Pinnacle – Atlanta, Georgia
Click an image to view full story
forward. 2021 dictionary.com – (adj./adv.) toward or at a place, point, or time in advance; onward; being in a condition of advancement; standing out from others. (syns.) progressing, well-developed, leading
"If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving."
– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (excerpt from April 10, 1960, address to students at Spelman College entitled, “Keep Moving from This Mountain”)
Forward. 2021 dictionary.com – (adj./adv.) toward or at a place, point, or time in advance; onward; being in a condition of advancement; standing out from others. (syns.) progressing, well-developed, leading
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