DEI 2024

Inclusive benefit programs that address all aspects of employees’ lives reinforce our supportive, collaborative culture. Along with forward-thinking work-life balance and leave policies, we offer an array of initiatives and services

To promote a summer of health, wellness, and fun, Mintz’s Mpower well-being program implemented the firm's inaugural summer wellness challenge. From July 22 to August 18, in conjunction with the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mintz’s offices engaged in a competition to accumulate “steps” by tracking healthy activities.

Throughout her four-year tenure as MIATTY Co-chair, San Francisco Member Terri Shieh-Newton strived to nurture community within the group and beyond.

I've been a part of MIATTY since the first day I got here, and all along the way, the MIATTY community has been supportive of me and has given me opportunities to give back to it.

There's a deep-down understanding that while you need to have official programs in place, there's a very strong correlation with stickiness within an organization when you've forged your own bonds and built your own community within it.

As Mintz expands into new cities and practice areas, our affinity group for minority attorneys and Patent Agents (MIATTY) is equipping its members to navigate ever-changing circumstances and environments.

The Mintz Pride affinity group fosters a supportive, equitable, and inclusive working environment for LGBTQ+ employees and allies at the firm. In this podcast, Member Rachel Alexander, Associate Sherwet Witherington, and Creative Services Manager Doug Rickert discuss the group’s history and initiatives, offering insights into its past achievements and future goals.

I chose Mintz to be my professional home because of its collegial atmosphere, dedication to pro bono and community services, and commitment to diversity. At Mintz, we support each other and advocate for each other. As a new Member, I want to keep mentoring Associates and help maintain and build a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

I came to Mintz for the vibrant Life Sciences Practice. As a Member, I plan to be involved in the training of new Patent Agents
and Associates.

I chose Mintz because of our expansive Litigation Practice and collaborative culture. Mintz attorneys work together across groups, disciplines, and sectors to provide the best possible service to our clients. As a Member, I am dedicated to mentoring Associates so that they know they are valued at the firm and that the firm is invested in their future and success.

When I joined the firm as a lateral over 10 years ago, I was immediately taken by the sincerity of the welcoming culture. As a Member, I will strive to be a resource for women who are balancing family with the demands of a heavy caseload. It may not be possible to strike this balance perfectly, but it is a rewarding challenge.

I’ve made Mintz my home since 2016 because of the firm’s genuinely collegial atmosphere. I look forward to continuing to help Mintz grow its Litigation Practice, particularly its practice areas related to consumer and privacy class action defense. I will also continue contributing to and supporting the firm’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and pro bono efforts, like our annual Lawyer for a Day program in
Los Angeles.

I chose Mintz for my professional home because not only was the work challenging and interesting, I found mentors and colleagues who supported me and trusted me with their work and clients, many of whom were women. Now that I am a Member, I want to help ensure that women and other Associates are afforded the same mentorship and support.

Mintz is equally known in Boston as a litigation powerhouse and a good corporate citizen. I joined Mintz because I knew I could practice at the highest level, work with smart, sophisticated clients and colleagues, and contribute to the broader community through pro bono work and board service. As a Member, I plan to help Mintz maintain these core qualities and foster a sense of excitement about and commitment to them in the next generation of attorneys.

Throughout my career, I have worked at several law firms, and the genuine emphasis on collaboration at Mintz is truly unique. This focus not only yields plentiful business development opportunities but also creates an inclusive, cooperative, and respectful work culture that I strive to embody on a daily basis and look forward to advancing for years to come.

I felt immediately like Mintz was the right place to be. The spirit of collaboration was palpable. It is inspiring to be part of a team where we are all invested in seeing each other succeed. As a Member, I hope to repay the mentorship that I have received by mentoring the next generation of rising stars and fostering the firm spirit that makes Mintz so special.

My first professional home after college was in Mintz’s Operations Department, where I observed the firm’s constant growth opportunities and commitment to excellence, service, and inclusivity. As a Summer Associate and an Associate, I saw those values demonstrated in Mintz’s advocacy for both private and pro bono clients. I am deeply grateful to be a Member and look forward to helping colleagues advance in their own professional development — and in service for others — in their journeys here at Mintz.

I have now been a Project Analyst, a Summer Associate, an Associate, and a Member at Mintz. It has always been my professional home. While Mintz offers challenging work with incredible clients and applauds collective and personal achievements, it stands apart in the way it approaches the challenges that we all inevitably face as individuals. As a Member, I want to do good work while celebrating my colleagues’ achievements and standing beside them on their hardest days.

I selected Mintz because it was a
well-established firm with an upward trajectory, and the culture was one of collegiality and respect. As a Member, my primary goals are to do excellent work to continue that upward trajectory and to preserve the culture of collegiality and respect that brought me here.

I decided to lateral to Mintz because of its broad Securities & Capital Markets Practice, entrepreneurial spirit, and collaborative environment that I knew would provide me with the skills to succeed in any legal setting. Now that I’m a Member, I look forward to contributing to Mintz’s continued growth and strengthening our brand in New York.

Nurturing an inclusive work environment with solid pathways for professional growth is vital for Mintz’s continued success. We asked the class of Members elevated in December 2023 to share their perspectives on our culture, including why they chose Mintz for their professional home and how they envision being of service to the firm in their new role.

Each year, Mintz invites first- and second-year law students to explore practice areas like Corporate, Litigation, and Intellectual Property through our annual Summer Associate Program. Students gain hands-on experience through real cases and deal teams. This year, the firm expanded the program to include Los Angeles and Toronto.

Hear from a few of our 2024 participants about what made their Mintz summer special.

As part of Mintz’s ongoing commitment to support its diverse populations, the firm proudly signed on to Diversity Lab’s Disability Inclusion Commitments for the legal profession in February 2024 and quickly convened a Disability Awareness Committee.

Mintz attorneys and staff have spent over 30 years advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ colleagues and the larger LGBTQ+ community. By fostering an inclusive workplace, supporting vital legal recognition, engaging in landmark litigation, and providing strategic guidance to health organizations, Mintz continues to lead the charge in promoting LGBTQ+ rights.

In June 2024, Rachel Gholston hosted a dinner to bring together Boston Summer Associates and several past Richard Mintz Diversity Scholarship recipients.

As employment attorneys and committed advocates for inclusion, Member and ESG Co-chair Jen Rubin and Associate Nikki Rivers champion the adoption of DEI initiatives. They encourage employers to be courageous in applying initiatives that create and maintain the most diverse workforce possible and advocate for these initiatives in their thought leadership, internal firm programming, and community involvement, such as Jen’s work supporting veterans and promoting diversity on corporate boards.

In this video, Jen and Nikki celebrate their shared passion for advancing DEI at the firm and beyond.

Diverse voices power innovation at our firm, driving creativity and continuous learning that keep us at the forefront of our field. We are fully committed to cultivating a culture of inclusivity that fuels this success and elevates the work we deliver for our clients.

“You can really change the trajectory of somebody’s life if you give them the opportunity and the support to allow them to work in a field that they can be successful in,” Kelly said.

Initially hired as the first-ever Summer Associate through the Richard Mintz Diversity Scholarship program, Venture Capital Practice Member Rachel Gholston has built a successful career at Mintz.

While rising through the ranks to become a Member, Rachel

The Equity Advisory Council (EAC) at Mintz drives equity for the firm’s attorneys, particularly women, attorneys of color, and LGBTQ+ attorneys. Reporting directly to the Policy Committee, Mintz’s main decision-making body, the EAC focuses on creating diverse pipelines for leadership positions, fostering strategic external partnerships, and addressing crucial issues that impact the success of diverse attorneys at the firm.

“It was a great opportunity to highlight the importance of the scholarship program and diversity at the firm more broadly,” Rachel said.