Since our founding in 1933, we have taken great pride in driving diversity, equity, and inclusion within our firm and across the legal industry. We believe that to best serve our clients and empower our employees, we must integrate diverse voices, ideas, and perspectives into everything we do. While we have always strived to create a welcoming and inclusive culture, today, our world rightfully demands more — more intention, more action — and we are driven to meet these demands by accelerating our work towards a more inclusive firm, industry, and society.
OUR COMMITMENT
Our commitment to inclusion is driven by our diversity mission: To fully understand and value diversity in our employees, clients, and other constituencies, and to integrate this appreciation into the firm's values, vision, mission, business operations, culture, policies, and practices. On Juneteenth 2020, we redoubled our efforts. Along with pledging to significantly increase our number of Black attorneys, we made policy and other internal changes to advance diversity, strengthened our support of organizations combating systemic racism, and took other steps to address inequity.
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• American Bar Association • Asian American Bar Association of New York • Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts • Association of Black Women Attorneys • Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association • California Association of Black Lawyers • California Lawyers Association • Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association of San Diego • Federal Communications Bar Association • Hispanic National Bar Association • Irish American Bar Association of San Diego • Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York • Korean Bar Association of San Diego • Lawyers Club of San Diego • Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association • Metropolitan Black Bar Association • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association • National Bar Association • Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego • South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston • South Asian Bar Association of New York • South Asian Bar Association of North America • Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association
AFFINITY BAR ASSOCIATIONS
At Mintz, DEI is not limited to quantitative goals, but rather is guided by a core value to promote a culture that is truly inclusive and celebrates differences at all levels. about our work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within the firm and the legal industry.
Enhancing opportunities, retention, and advancement for attorneys and patent agents of color.
Promoting a supportive, equitable, and inclusive working environment where LGBTQ+ attorneys and professional staff, and their allies, can foster community and opportunity.
Creating professional, networking, and social opportunities to support and enrich female attorneys.
Diversity and Flexibility Alliance
2021 “Tipping the Scales” Firm
Mintz was recognized for elevating 50% or more women to its 2021 Member class.
Human Rights Campaign Foundation
Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality 2022
For the 15th consecutive year, Mintz received a perfect score on the foundation’s annual Corporate Equality Index.
Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America 2021
Two of the firm’s attorneys were shortlisted for their work to advance diversity and inclusion across the United States and beyond.
Vault 2022 Best Law Firms for Diversity
Mintz was ranked among the top 30 firms for diversity based on associate feedback about the firm’s efforts to create, maintain, and foster a diverse workforce.
OUR
Commitment
AND
Mentions
Awards
A HIGHER BAR:
Accelerating
our commitment
Diversity, EQUITY,
to
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01
HIGHLIGHTS
02
OVERVIEW
03
INITIATIVES
Learn more
"Since our founding in 1933, we have taken great pride in driving diversity, equity, and inclusion within our firm and across the legal industry. We believe that to best serve our clients and empower our employees, we must integrate diverse voices, ideas, and perspectives into everything we do.
While we have always prioritized a welcoming, collaborative, and inclusive culture, today, our world rightfully demands more — more intention, more action. We are driven to meet these demands by accelerating our work towards a more inclusive firm, industry, and society."
inclusion
And
Overview
equity,
© 2022 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
- Bob Bodian, Managing Member
LEARN MORE
• Federal Communications Bar Association • Hispanic National Bar Association • Irish American Bar Association of San Diego • Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York • Korean Bar Association of San Diego • Lawyers Club of San Diego • Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association • Metropolitan Black Bar Association
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association • National Bar Association • Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego • South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston • South Asian Bar Association of New York • South Asian Bar Association of North America • Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association
A - E
N - Z
F - M
Accelerating Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
AFFINITY GROUPS
Initiatives
highlights
, Managing Member
Name Member and former Washington, DC office head Charlie Ferris played an integral role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the drafting of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In an important fireside chat at the MIATTY retreat, Charlie spoke about his role in the development of these groundbreaking laws and the relevance of that legislation in today’s landscape.
Civil Rights & VOting Rights Act with
Highlights
We are proud to support the career journeys of our talented colleagues, elevate critical conversations around race and equity, and welcome new leadership aligned with our DEI mission.
Our affinity group for minority attorneys and senior professionals works to enhance opportunities, retention, and advancement for attorneys of color.
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My experience as a Mintz Summer Associate aided in my leadership of NBLSA and bolstered my knowledge of patent law. By witnessing master classes in negotiations with opposing counsel, working on patent and trademark matters, and interacting with clients, I was able to utilize the various lessons during my time as the 55th national chair and CEO of NBLSA. For example, I negotiated contracts with sponsors and vendors and spearheaded NBLSA’s trademark filings.
How has Mintz’s Summer Associate program been helpful to you?
Once the Chief Diversity Editor position was created, I applied and was selected to serve. I actually started earlier than the incoming Executive Board and began implementing change immediately. I created and hosted diversity workshops, held office hours to connect with BIPOC students on the Law Review, and reviewed and edited all of the articles to make sure they weren’t racist, discriminatory, anti-LBGQTIA+, or prejudicial in any nature. I also reformed the editor and leadership applications to have a diversity section that would weigh the most out of the entire application in order to show that we are making a structural shift that prioritizes diversity and equity.
Once on the Law Review, I was a charter member of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee and highlighted the structural and institutional barriers that students not only on the Law Review faced but the barriers that prospective Law Review applicants would face. We assessed how to make the Law Review more equitable and accessible.
As a result of my protest, the Law Review rescored all of the applications. Because of this second round of grading, there was an increase in the number of students accepted to Law Review and a huge increase in the number of accepted BIPOC students. I pushed for change even before I was in a leadership position.
I protested about this outcome. I saw that it wasn’t equitable.
When I applied for Law Review at the end of my 1L year, during the first round, out of all of the applicants, a limited number of BIPOC students were selected, and out of that rare few, only one person was Black.
I remember looking at my school’s Law Review when I was 1L and having these goals that I wanted to achieve, but barely seeing anyone that looked like me as an editor or in a position of power. There were only one to two Black students on the Law Review when I was a 1L.
How did you become the first diversity editor of the Law Review?
My journey toward achieving equity comes from my own experience and the experiences of those around me. Whenever I take on a leadership position, I am always thinking about those that come after me and asking myself, “How can I prevent this trauma or this negative experience from occurring or reoccurring?” And that starts with being intentional while doing the work.
Being a Black woman in law is not easy. Often I would be the only Black woman and sometimes the only Black person in a room. During my time in law school, I often had to explain to my classmates that using a certain term isn’t appropriate or that they do not understand the full scope of a topic because of the lack of historical context. For example, in property law, when people think about the topic of chattels, trespass to chattels, etc., they’re often not thinking about how Black people were considered chattel at one point.
Having to explain that to your classmates who do not have that background or that racial identity is very burdensome and emotionally taxing. I don’t want others to have to go through that.
So, I started with my local NBLSA chapter, and then I elevated to the national level because I saw that Black students across the nation needed support. They needed advocates. To be a part of an association as prestigious and impactful as NBLSA, I knew that I had to pick up the baton and really propel the association forward.
You’ve already taken on a number of leadership positions in different organizations, including some focused on diverse communities. How did you decide to do that?
It’s extremely important, especially for individuals that are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), to be a part of summer associate programs. The law historically, and still to this day, was never built for someone that looks like me to achieve justice. It was meant to oppress. Let’s look at what’s happening right now with reproductive rights specifically, and our fundamental rights broadly. Think about the communities that these decisions are going to harm the most. It’s going to harm BIPOC communities.
So when thinking about Black and Brown communities, it’s vital that you have someone in the room who is a part of these communities that can advocate on their behalf. Often, when conversations and decisions that affect BIPOC communities are being made, there is no one in the room contributing to these conversations who is a part of these communities and understands the various lived experiences. In these conversations, the impacted community is frequently neglected, and the repercussions of this neglect are neither thought about nor considered.
Why is it important for diverse candidates to be part of summer associate programs and to seek them out?
I graduated from Howard University, a historically Black university, with an honors biology degree. I originally planned on going to medical school and then pivoted to law school. Because of my personality, style, and panache, I knew that I wanted to be a litigator and was meant to be in a courtroom.
But I also have a love of the sciences and the complexities of it. I heard so many things about IP, so I said to myself, “Let me take an intellectual property course.” As I took that course, I thought, “Oh my goodness, this is perfect for me.”
IP has all the complexities of science, but it also has the nuances of the law. It’s a perfect space for one to engage not only in litigation but also in the transactional side of the law, too.
An IP attorney is multifaceted, and that’s me. There’s not one box that I can fit into.
Was IP a passion of yours before you became a part of this summer associate program?
From a diversity perspective, I really enjoyed how diverse my Summer Associate class was and also having the opportunity to develop a diversity proposal with the manager of the firm’s IP litigation practice.
The proposal focused on increasing the IP section’s community involvement from an intellectual property perspective. The goal was to increase the number of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other people of color that are joining the firm, specifically in this practice area, and have Mintz be the leader in that diversification.
I proposed working with the National Black Law Students Association by developing an IP pipeline through joining our job fairs and connecting with our network of students, developing community-based programming for middle school or high school students that teaches them the basics of intellectual property law, and potentially creating a college scholarship for a local Massachusetts student who has demonstrated a combined interest in science and the law.
What was meaningful about your time as a Summer Associate from a diversity perspective?
I truly felt welcomed and valued. I was so appreciative of having the opportunity to sit in on meetings, assist with direct and cross-examinations prep, talk with the client, and serve as a member of the trial team.
After I sent the assignment, the Member I was working with (Drew DeVoogd) looked it over and said, “This is outstanding.” Shortly thereafter, my mentor (Courtney Herndon), who was also working on the case, added my research summary into her section of the pre-hearing brief. To receive that feedback and see my very first assignment incorporated into a filed brief meant so much to me.
My first assignment involved researching revenue allocation methodologies for measuring investments in domestic industry and discussing how it would affect an aspect of an International Trade Commission case the firm was working on. Initially, I had no background on the ITC, what it does, how it works, or what domestic industry was. So once I got access to the relevant databases, I conducted intensive research and utilized the skills from my coursework and Law Review experience.
I had a phenomenal experience as a summer associate! Everyone that I had the opportunity to work with, be mentored by, and speak with was insightful and willing to teach me, train me, and give me opportunities. They treated me as if I were a first-year associate.
Tell me about your experiences in the Mintz Summer Associate program.
Simone Yhap served as the 55th national chair of the National Black Law Students Association while simultaneously serving as the inaugural chief diversity editor of the Northeastern University Law Review. She joined Mintz as a first-year intellectual property litigation associate in September 2022.
Simone Yhap
First-Year Associate Reflects on Her Diversity Leadership Roles and Time as a Mintz Summer Associate
After spending nearly 30 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Calvin Duncan is now a critical voice and force in the legal world. In a powerful interview with Narges Kakalia, the firm's Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, in a webinar open to all employees of the firm, Calvin spoke about his incredible journey, systemic racism in the criminal justice system, and the power of zealous advocacy to overturn racist laws.
Calvin Duncan
Japanese Internment Camps During WWII, as Experienced by Former Prisoner
In 1942, Sam Mihara was nine years old and living in San Francisco when the government forced him and 120,000 other Japanese Americans from their homes and into harsh internment camps. Mr. Mihara shared his recollection of these events, his experiences in a camp, lessons learned by our country, and whether something similar can happen again in a webinar discussion available to everyone at the firm.
Outside of NBLSA, by being immersed in extensive patent litigation and having the opportunity to substantially learn about patent law, I applied my increased knowledge and created a restorative justice patent certificate program to present to the USPTO. Mintz provided me with an incomparable amount of training, guidance, and support.
Sitting Down With
Under Miyoko's leadership, the newly formed is establishing diverse pipelines for leadership positions and cultivating business development opportunities and strategic external partnerships that will enable diverse attorneys to thrive. Institutionalizing the firm’s DEI work in this way will drive progress and create accountability.
Equity Advisory Council (EAC)
Setting the Tone at the Top with a
Member
Chair, Equity Advisory Council
Miyoko Sato
The formation of the EAC further elevates and institutionalizes diversity, equity, and inclusion for the firm and for all of the individual Members, Associates, and staff who form our wonderful culture.
New DEI Leader
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Conversations with
Charlie Ferris
Sam Mihara
is establishing diverse pipelines
Under Miyoko's leadership, the newly formed for leadership positions and cultivating business development opportunities and strategic external partnerships that will enable diverse attorneys to thrive. Institutionalizing the firm’s DEI work in this way will drive progress and create accountability.
2021 Summer Associates
identify as LGBTQ+
12%
identify as Black
29%
identify as People of Color
53%
are women
82%
Class of 2021
Summer Associates
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By The NUmbers
People of Color
LGBTQ+
Black
Women
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overview
Tell me about your experiences in Mintz’s Summer Associate program.
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And that was just the work. It was also phenomenal from the diversity angle.
Miyoko Sato's
Under Miyoko's leadership, the newly formed
Prisoner
for leadership positions and cultivating business development opportunities and strategic external partnerships that will enable diverse attorneys to thrive. Institutionalizing the firm’s DEI work in this way will drive progress and create accountability.
newly formed
Under leadership, the newly
______
LGBTQ+ Member Elevations
1%
2%
3%
4%
0%
National Average
Mintz
2.3%
3.8%
LGBTQ+ Member Elevation
By the numbers
SUmmer Associates Class of 2021
is establishing pipelines
as an
Partner of Color
First Chair
A Journey to the
In April 2022, Member ________________ shared his journey of becoming a first-chair litigator as an LGBTQ+ attorney of color in an article published by the New York Law Journal.
I am a litigator and proudly sit in the first chair for my clients. I am also a gay man of color, an immigrant to this country, and a son of immigrants as well. I have a name few get right on the first attempt and I am constantly correcting its pronunciation even to people I have met over and over again (it's "Shu-men" in case you're curious).
Finding My Way:
Suman Chakraborty
The image of what a lead lawyer "should" look like, "should" sound like, or "should" act like did not historically match up with me, and it continues to be framed in the image of a white man. Putting faith in diverse attorneys to sit in that first chair can be challenging – for clients and law firms. And, to be honest, there are challenges I had to overcome within myself too.
Every time I stand up to speak for my client I remind myself not only that my clients chose me, but also that I did everything I could to be ready for that moment even when others did not think I fit the part.
Read More about Suman's journey
Chair
Member Geri Haight became Chair of the Women’s Initiative in 2021, taking the helm from former Chair and Member Meredith Leary.
// MEREDITH LEARY & GERI HAIGHT
Associate Natalie Groot talks about her role in catalyzing Mintz’s compassionate leave policy to allow paid leave to all employees following a miscarriage or after a failed surrogacy, adoption, or infertility treatment.
COMPASSIONATE LEAVE POLICy
Internal Processes
Donations and Partnerships
Media Resources
Boston Lawyers Group
Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance
Election Day
Policy Committee
Diversity Leadership & Committee
Recruiting
The recruiting of Black attorneys is a firm-wide priority. On Juneteenth, 2020, we pledged to increase our number of Black attorneys by 50% in two years and have exceeded that goal as of September 2022.
Over the past two years, our Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has grown to three professionals, including a Chief Diversity Officer.
In 2020, the firm’s bylaws were amended to ensure the Chair of the Equity Advisory Council had a permanent, voting position on the Policy Committee.
Voting is one of the most important actions we can take to have a profound impact on racism, social justice, and respect for all of our citizens. Every Presidential Election Day, employees are encouraged to take a paid day off to vote and engage in other civic activity.
Mintz is committed to the Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance, which devotes pro bono resources to combating systemic racism, reforming racist laws, and addressing policies and practices that perpetuate racism.
Mintz has strengthened ties with the Boston Lawyers Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting efforts to identify, recruit, retain, and advance attorneys of color.
Narratives, Stories That Shape Us, is a catalog of first-person accounts from Black employees of their lived experiences with racism. We share these stories to help all employees gain a better understanding of how racism affects the lives of their colleagues.
We partner with organizations dedicated to addressing racism and inequities in our communities and nation.
Donations
While we do not always have ready solutions for systemic or institutionalized inequities, we are committed to working towards a better society and a better law firm.
Gender
Our commitments to inclusion are integrated into firm-wide initiatives, creating a culture where we are all invested in and accountable for advancing this important work.
Using a person’s correct pronouns fosters inclusion, makes people feel respected and valued, and affirms their gender identity. To encourage this effort, the firm gives all employees the opportunity to include their preferred pronouns on internal communication platforms. The firm’s attorneys can also request that preferred pronouns be listed on their biography pages.
Women's Initiative
// NATALIE GROOT
industry-leading
inclusivity
Well-being & Inclusion
Inclusion is integral to well-being and is a priority of the firm’s Mpower program, established to foster a culture where all individuals can bring their whole, unique selves to work. A number of awareness and education efforts are delivered year-round, including:
creating an
inclusive Culture
that embraces
Well-being
• An overview of the Mpower Inclusion program and resources for all new hires • An 8-week Mindfulness at Work program focused on unconscious bias • Presentations by the National Black Law Student Association and the Mindfulness In Law Society • Ongoing communication about free and confidential counseling benefits provided by the firm
Associate
Jane Chen
Participating in MIATTY and attending the retreat allows me to
Coming
To Advance
Together
DEI
In 2021, the firm welcomed nearly 100 attendees to its annual MIATTY Retreat, uniting and supporting attorneys and senior professionals of color. The retreat delivered four days of discussions, panels, and breakout sessions, as well as networking and development opportunities for MIATTY members.
Highlights from the event included panels of Mintz alumni and of MIATTY leadership and a lively Town Hall Discussion. Additionally, the virtual event provided a new opportunity for inclusivity as both MIATTY members and the firm at large were able to participate in portions of the programming.
© 2022 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. All Rights Reserved.
Geri and Meredith sat down to speak about the evolution of the group, the importance of integrating a broad range of perspectives, and why the initiative is poised to increase its impact.
Natalie worked with Women’s Initiative and firm management to turn the idea into reality and has since received hundreds of emails from colleagues, friends, and strangers offering support and seeking advice on similar efforts.
Our affinity group for minority attorneys and patent agents of color works to enhance opportunities, retention, and advancement.
Additionally, our Diversity Committee welcomed a new, elected staff member to represent the concerns and interests of staff.
In addition to providing BLG with office space, Mintz staff support the organization’s marketing and awareness building efforts.
We continuously review internal processes to ensure that they do not stop at bias interruption but, instead, go further and embrace anti-racist ideals.
Since 2020, Mintz has donated nearly $200,000.
strengthen
relationships
23%
77%
Our Newest Partners
of all new hires are women
49%
Women as New hires
within the
firm and to be part of an ecosystem where I can contribute to and learn from esteemed colleagues.
Over the past two years, our Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has grown to three professionals, in addition to a Chief Diversity Officer.
initiatives
Voting is one of the most important actions we can take to have a profound impact on racism, social justice, and respect for all of our citizens. Each Election Day, employees are encouraged to take a paid day off to vote and engage in other civic activity.
We partners with organizations dedicated to addressing racism and inequities in our communities and nation.
An overview of the Mpower Inclusion program and resources for all new hires An 8-week Mindfulness at Work program focused on unconscious bias Presentations by the National Black Law Student Association and the Mindfulness In Law Society Ongoing communication about free and confidential counseling benefits provided by the firm
Geri Haight
became Chair of
the Women’s Initiative in 2021, taking the helm from former Chair and Member
Meredith Leary
.
