As lawyers, we took an oath to fight for justice and equity, but this duty doesn’t end in the courtroom or boardroom – it must be reflected in what we say, how we act and what we value as an institution.
DEI
@
ORRICK
Our approach is founded
on 8 core principles…
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is longstanding – and we’re bringing heightened focus to taking action at our firm, with our clients and in our communities. It’s essential to the sustainability of our firm and our profession.
1
Goals that get measured, and shared publicly, get addressed.
We aim to be the most inclusive law firm serving the Tech & Innovation,
Life Sciences, Energy & Infrastructure and Finance sectors. We measure progress through the diversity – defined to include lawyers who are of
color, women, LGBTQ+ and/or have disabilities – of our leadership team, partnership, client teams and summer associate classes.
In addition, our DEI leadership has a strong voice in the management of our firm, including serving on our Management Committee and helping to lead our Client Relationship Program. Our Chairman Mitch Zuklie is an advocate for DEI – both at Orrick and as a board member of the Leadership Council on
Legal Diversity (LCLD). And to invest in the next generation of diverse leaders, we send rising stars to leadership pipeline programs every year, including Chart Your Own Course, the LCLD Pathfinders and Fellowship Programs, and The NYC Bar Office for Diversity and Inclusion Associate Leadership Institute (ALI).
Where
we stand today
We exceed large law firm averages at the partner and associate levels, as reported by NALP, in every category: lawyers of color, women and LGBTQ+.
Senior Leadership Team:
55%
U.S. Partnership:
46%
2024 U.S. New
Partner Class:
90%
Partners Hired in the Lateral Market (past 7 years):
48%
2023 Summer Associate Class:
86%
Creating Accountability
Every Orrick Business Unit reports to our Chairman and DEI leadership annually on progress against group-specific diversity goals – for both group demographics and individual career advancement. Our Board and Management Committee review a summary report.
Client Teams
As one of the four founding law firms of the Move the
Needle (MTN) Fund, we publicly pledged in 2020 that our client teams for
40 valued clients will be at least 55% diverse by 2025. Since then, the number
of teams meeting that
goal has increased, with
34 currently meeting
or exceeding it. Our relationship partners are critical in driving staffing opportunities with
our clients.
Candidate Pools
As a signatory of the Diversity Lab’s Mansfield
Rule, we pledged to consider a diverse candidate pool, which we define as including a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. For the past six years, that has helped drive results – at least
30% representation for our leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, client opportunities and senior positions – and earned “Mansfield Plus” certification.
Diversity starts at the top.
We believe inclusive leadership is better in every way – which is why our Board and Management Committee are 50% diverse.
2
The Pipeline
To expand the talent pool and ensure the success of incoming law students, we were the founding
law firm partner of Legal Innovators, a program that uses data to recruit law students from diverse backgrounds and experience with greater certainty of success from a broad range of law schools. They hire grads for two-year fellowships, train them in legal and business skills and place them in two-year fellowships. They expand beyond traditional law schools targeted for BigLaw placement to partner with 25+ schools, including George Washington, Howard, Georgetown, the University of Connecticut and New York Law School.
Legal Innovators uses predictive analytics to look at 20 factors – like accolades and undergrad work experience – to identify the best fits between talent and BigLaw. Another way we create opportunities for law students is through “split summers” between our firm and a client’s legal department. We have cohosted students with companies such as Starbucks, Lyft, Oracle, Netflix and Glassdoor.
– Bryan Parker , Legal Innovators co-founder
Bryan Parker
We’re actively focused on staffing client teams, confronting implicit bias and creating a strong sponsorship culture.
Increasing access to our most valued clients and successful partners is the
best way to accelerate the careers of diverse lawyers.
3
Client Teams
Bias Interrupters
Sponsorship
Women’s Mentorship
We’re listening to our clients on the value they place on diverse teams, learning from the best practices of great companies and working together to make our profession more inclusive.
We’ll make greater and faster progress by collaborating with our clients.
4
Client Advisory Boards
Summer Fellowships
Career Fairs
Moving the Needle Together
Making Tech More Inclusive
As a member of the tech community, we are allies for a more diverse ecosystem.
We fund and collaborate with organizations that support diverse founders – M12 Female
Founders Competition, Gaingels, StartOut, 37Angels and Female Founders Alliance.
We provide pro bono legal advice and other support to organizations working to change the landscape – including AllRaise, Hack the
Hood and Him for Her. We serve as pro bono counsel to PayPal Ventures in connection with its change-making initiative to invest in Black- and Latinx-led VC funds.
We partner with ChIPs to advance women at the confluence of technology, law and policy. We sponsor the annual Global Summit, and our associates attend their Next Gen Summit and Mock Programs – where our partners serve as coaches. We have also hosted regional events related to their Advocacy, Leadership and Innovation (ALI) program, which gives high school students an up-close look at careers in tech law.
For eight years, we have collaborated with Atomico on the State of European Tech – an annual study that brings rigorous gender and ethnic metrics to the European tech ecosystem and spotlights the need to improve equity.
And we help place diverse directors on private and public company boards.
Our inclusion networks are communities that take action
and advocate for change in our firm and also connect with
bar associations and other community groups.
Inclusion is an important part of being
seen and heard, building a network and knowing there’s a path.
5
Asian Pacific Attorneys
Black Lawyers of Orrick (BLOO)
Orrick Latinx Attorneys (OLA)
LGBTQ+ Attorneys
MENA Attorneys
Parents Forum
Women’s Initiative
DiversAbility Network
South Asian
Attorneys
We are equipping our entire team with the training, tools and accountability to be allies.
It’s not on someone else. Becoming better allies is essential to creating the diverse and inclusive culture we strive for.
6
Making Allyship a Focus
We encourage our associates to devote time (up to 100 hours of bonus-eligible time) each year to efforts that advance DEI, and we ask our partners to describe their sponsorship and other efforts as part of our annual compensation review.
Allyship Training
Established in partnership with Dr. Arin Reeves, our allyship curriculum addresses intersectionality, remote mentoring and sponsorship, strategies for becoming a better ally and wellness. We offer programming for our entire team and special training for leaders in our firm.
“Being an ally of this particular population, of LGBTQ+ people – what does it look like? It looks like taking action. It looks like staying informed on current issues and events. It looks like speaking up for what's right and supporting equality and equity by fighting for policies that protect marginalized individuals from discrimination.”
– Laila Ireland, an activist and transgender veteran
Reflections From Dive/In @Orrick
Each year, we devote a day to reflecting on DEI in every Orrick office globally. It’s a moment dedicated to listening, knowing each other, and reflecting on our own assumptions. Our
2022 theme focused on finding common ground in our relationships as a way to be more effective in achieving the outcomes we desire at work, in our communities, and with our families and friends.
Gender Inclusive Training
In conjunction with the adoption of our Gender Inclusive Workplace Policy, our LGBTQ+ Affinity Group collaborated with the National LGBT Bar to deliver firmwide training on being a gender-inclusive ally.
“The key about your policy is to let it be led by the person, to understand where their comfort is and how you can support them properly.”
– Dru Levasseur (LGBT Bar) at Orrick’s firmwide training
The past years have demanded exceptional grit – and we’ve
sought to find new ways to support our team, make room for
caregiving, and destigmatize the conversation about wellness
and mental health.
Adapting How We Work
We’ve expanded our flexible working options, enhanced our Parents Forum and expanded our childcare benefits. We discourage Friday meetings and weekend emails that are not tied to serving our clients. And we offered caregivers who could not rely on outside support – due to heightened health risks – the option of a short-term reduced schedule at full pay.
We cannot sustain inclusion without wellness – and we cannot sustain wellness without inclusion.
7
Talking About Self Care
We turned to Dr. Arin Reeves to teach us about self-care and its intersection with inclusion through a series of fireside chats and workshops.
“A lack of wellness results in the majority being less inclusive as well…
Being inclusive actually takes so much cognitive energy that people who are not taking care of themselves don’t have enough cognitive energy to listen or to be patient.”
– Dr. Arin Reeves
Support for Parents
“Orrick’s exceptional parental support program is truly one-of-a-kind. What sets it apart is the unwavering commitment and buy-in that is demonstrated at all levels of the firm. The combination of Orrick’s generous policies and the genuine support from leadership and my colleagues empowers me to be a fully committed parent and partner at home while practicing law at the highest levels. I am proud to be part of a firm that values and supports its team members throughout their journey as parents.”
“Orrick’s exceptional parental support program is truly one-of-a-kind. What sets it apart is the unwavering commitment and buy-in that is demonstrated at all levels of the firm. The combination of Orrick’s generous policies and the genuine support from leadership and my colleagues empowers me to be a fully committed parent and partner at home while practicing law at the highest levels. I am proud to be part of a firm that values and supports its team members throughout their journey as parents.”
– Nick Farnsworth, Senior Associate (Boston)
Destigmatizing the Conversation About Mental Health
We seek to address mental health at many levels – from offering leave after the killing of George Floyd to sharing a podcast conversation between our Chairman and a partner who detailed his own experience with anxiety. We offer mindfulness training and weekly group meditations. After particularly intensive months, we encourage our associates to take a wellness break by sending Unplug On Us gift cards. And our London office developed a mental health curriculum that was recognized by the Financial Times’ European Legal Innovation Awards.
It’s part of the oath we took as lawyers. We have increased our impact through both pro bono representation (99% of our lawyers participate) and an innovative Racial Justice Fellowship Program.
We have a heightened duty to advocate for racial, social and economic justice.
8
Orrick’s Racial Justice Fellowship program
Through our Racial Justice Fellowship
Program, we embed experienced Orrick lawyers full time with innovative organizations working on the frontlines to advance a more just and equitable society. The American Lawyer honored the program as Best Diversity Initiative in 2022.
Our partner organizations this year include:
The MacArthur Justice Center
The Policing Project at NYU School of Law
Planned Parenthood
Acumen Fund
“I really want to be making an impact in things that are important to me and for people who look like me. This fellowship gave me a chance to do that and to use my legal expertise and my legal skills to make a difference for those without access to capital.”
– Nathelie Ashby, Orrick Racial Justice Fellow
Pro Bono Service
Our pro bono program – ranked Top 10 for the past decade – is another form
of allyship.
Learn More About Our Pro Bono Program
MARKET RECOGNITION
Top Firm for Diversity
– Yale Law Women, 2024
12 years on the list
No. 1 Best Law Firm for Women and Diversity
– Seramount, 2024
16 years on the list
Leader in LGBTQ+ Inclusion
– Human Rights Campaign,
100% on the Corporate Equality Index for the
past 17 years
Gold Standard Firm for the past 11 years
– Women in Law Empowerment Forum, 2023
7 Rainmakers
in 7 Years
– Minority Corporate Counsel Association
contacts
Angelique Magliulo-Hager
As Orrick’s Director of Firmwide Training, Community & Inclusion, Angelique works closely with firm leadership, our inclusion networks and DEI committee to drive training, development and coaching programs to support team members with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Lorraine McGowen
As Firmwide Partner-in Charge of DEI and longtime diversity advocate and community leader, Lorraine is a partner in our Restructuring practice and member of the firm’s senior leadership team. She was named 2019 Rainmaker by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) – a list that honors exceptional diverse lawyers who are leading law figures and have contributed significantly to their communities. In 2023, she was named chair of the board of directors at the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession and on the Advisory Committees for Legal Outreach and the Vance Center for International Justice of the NYCBA.
Sheryl Garko
Our Women’s Initiative co-leader, Sheryl is a leading trial lawyer and founding member of our Boston IP team. She serves on the board of Legal Momentum, the first and oldest legal defense and education fund in the U.S. for women.
Siobhan Handley
Our Chief Talent Officer, Siobhan brings her experience as a litigation partner to designing unique programs, helping to staff client teams and coaching our lawyers. Financial Times named her one of the most innovative Business Leaders in Law in 2020, in part because of her leadership of the firm’s response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the intersecting crises of 2020.
Orrick partners Amanda Galton and Greg Heibel share their top legal tips with finalists of the M12 Female Founder Competition at the Microsoft Reactor
We’ve set a goal to diversify the teams for 40 of our valued clients. We made this pledge as part of our participation in the Move the Needle Fund – a collaboration launched by four law firms, 25+ general counsel and The Diversity Lab to take action. To achieve our goal, our Managing Partner and DEI leaders work together with our partners to set diversity goals for each client team, strengthen client relationships and develop opportunities to collaborate on our shared commitment to DEI.
As a part of the MTN initiative, we are piloting bias interrupters to make our systems of feedback, work allocation, sponsorship, communication, connection and retention more equitable.
We pair attorneys from underrepresented backgrounds (mid-level and more senior) with a sponsor who is a member of our Board or Management Committee. Our sponsors complete training in how to sponsor effectively and work with associates to develop client opportunities, explore career paths, expand support networks, and enhance their visibility
and profile.
Our Women’s Initiative Resource Network increases connectivity through 1:1 mentoring based on mutual needs and interests. We offer mentoring circles and leadership training to prepare the next generation of firm leaders. A dedicated women’s business development program includes individualized coaching beginning at the associate level, and our Women of Color Collective enhances and promotes professional development.
To learn from the world’s best companies – and hold ourselves accountable – we’ve formed a Women’s Leadership Advisory Board, led by our Chairman. The board comprises senior leaders of corporate legal departments and industry experts, who meet regularly to share best practices, benchmark and give us candid feedback on our progress.
In response to 2020, we’ve started hosting small-group conversations among senior
in-house leaders in the Tech and Finance sectors. The purpose: promote open and honest dialogue, identify best practices and foster allyship. The only rule: bring a Black leader to the table.
Through our 2L Fellowship Program, law students split the summer between Orrick and a client’s in-house legal department.
We also collaborate with clients through Diversity Lab’s Law in Technology
Diversity Collaborative and the Latino Justice Corporate/Law Firm Alliance Summer Program.
We’ve created two career fairs to help our clients and peer firms recruit diverse talent.
The Bay Area Diversity Career Fair, which we founded and host today with the Bar Association of San Francisco, is open to corporate legal departments who want to interview.
We also founded the nation’s first Veterans’
Legal Career Fair which attracts more than 40 corporate and law firm employers nationwide and has helped more than 600 active duty and veteran lawyers and their spouses attain employment.
The MTN Fund initiative provides a unique forum to collaborate, solicit input from 25+ general counsel and share learning about what works. Our goal is to diversify our client teams, but we’re also working with in-house counsel to:
• Diversify the pipeline of legal talent, including
through a split-summer fellowship program.
• Help our diverse junior partners build stronger
business development skills through a
personalized program with professional coaches,
in-house leaders and Diversity Lab staff.
• Improve allyship.
Asian Pacific Attorneys
• Recorded a video about the importance of heritage-based affinity groups with
representatives of the South Asian Inclusion Network and the Middle Eastern and
North African (MENA) Inclusion Network.
• Hosted a firmwide conversation on Asian Pacific Islander heritage with Kal Penn,
an actor and writer, and Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American
Federation. Partners Victoria Boyne and Rohit Sachdev moderated.
• Hosted a conversation with actor Daniel Dae Kim and Aarti Kohli, executive
director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus.
• To address the increase in anti-Asian racism and harassment in our communities
since the start of the pandemic (and racism and harassment of all kinds),
sponsored a bystander intervention training program with Hollaback! and
Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus where more than 1,300 participants learned
safe de-escalation strategies
• Signed a joint statement denouncing the rising number of incidents involving
anti-Asian discrimination and racist remarks related to COVID-19
Black Lawyers of Orrick (BLOO)
• Host bi-monthly inclusion network meetings where BLOO members build
community by celebrating each other’s accomplishments and learning from
one another.
• Sponsored a firmwide Black History Month conversation with Bruce Jackson of
Microsoft about his memoir, Never Far From Home.
• Hosted Juneteenth conversations with Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Dr. Henry Louis
Gates, Soledad O’Brien and Jason Edwards, son of the late State Representative
Al Edwards, Sr. (D-TX), who started a campaign to have Juneteenth declared a
state holiday.
“BLOO is one of my absolute favorite parts of Orrick. From meaningful mentorship, to lifelong friendships and cross-practice business opportunities, it’s one of the many things that makes Orrick a great place to work.”
– Tierra Piens, Managing Associate (San Francisco)
“The BLOO community provides a group of colleagues who are genuinely interested in my work and personal success at Orrick. As black lawyers, we understand each other and the struggles of practicing in a BigLaw environment, particularly for African Americans. Having each other as a resource and sounding board is important so that we know that we are not alone in our quest to succeed in this space but also to share in the good, the bad, and the ugly of the process.”
– Rena Scott, Partner (Geneva)
Orrick Latinx Attorneys (OLA)
• Hosted a Latinx Heritage Month conversation with journalist and author Paola Ramos
• Hold quarterly “Té con Miel” virtual networking sessions
• Piloting an integration and business development program and continuing a group
mentoring program
• Support local Latinx law student associations
• Participate in national conferences: National Latinx Law Student Association
Conference, HNBA Corporate Counsel Conference and HNBA Annual Convention
“Helping to lead the Latinx Inclusion Network has given me an enhanced sense of purpose and belonging, and learning about our affinity group members’ personal journeys and family histories has been incredibly inspirational. The support and inspiration I’ve received has helped me overcome some of my most difficult challenges over the past few years.”
– Rob Uriarte, Partner (Los Angeles)
LGBTQ+ Attorneys
• Hosted a conversation with Laila Ireland, a transgender advocate and U.S. Army
veteran, and Shane Ortega, the first U.S. solder to transition while on active duty,
to mark National Coming Out Day and LGBTQ+ History Month in 2022.
• Held first group retreat in 2019 to strengthen internal network and expand
dialogue with firm leaders
• Developed firmwide gender inclusive policies alongside firm leadership and rolled
out firmwide training with the National LGBT Bar in 2020
• Launched a mentoring program in 2021
• Leader Trish Eichar was presented with Orrick’s DEI Award at Lavender Law and
member Danny Rubens was named to the National LGBT Bar’s Best LGBTQ+
Lawyers Under 40
“The LGBTQ+ Attorney Inclusion Network is important because it underscores the firm’s commitment to diversity and its efforts to continually improve upon that commitment. The group not only creates a forum for mutual support and mentorship, but a safe space in which we can discuss ideas for making the firm and our communities better. We strive to make Orrick the best place to work for our LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies alike.”
– Matt LaBrie, Senior Associate (Boston)
“The LGBTQ+ Inclusion Network changed my life. And through it, I’ve come to know a remarkable group of people who will freely share that most helpful kind of advice – the kind drawn from our shared experiences. It is a wonderful thing to be part of a community that will freely invest in each other without any obligation do so.”
– Darren Pouliot, Managing Associate (London)
MENA Attorneys
• Recorded a video about the importance of heritage-based communities with
representatives of the Asian Pacific Attorneys Inclusion Network and South Asian
Inclusion Network.
• Participated in MENA law student events, including panels at USC and Harvard.
Hosted a MENA law student virtual event with Orrick attorneys, including holding
mock interviews and résumé reviews.
• Held fundraisers and raised awareness around a deadly Beirut explosion,
earthquakes in Syria and Turkey and war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hosted forums to
discuss the death of Jina Amini and the impact on MENA members of a deadly
repression of anti-government protests in Iran in 2022 and 2023.
“Being part of an intimate group of Middle Eastern and North African attorneys makes me feel as if I have a bit of home even at work. Our group is a constant reminder of how far our respective, but related, immigrant families have come in this country. This creates an environment where we understand each other in ways that don’t exist with other colleagues and serves as a source of motivation to be a better attorney and representative of my ancestral heritage.”
– Deena Dulgerian, Managing Associate (Los Angeles)
Parents Forum
• Launched our Parents Forum 2.0, creating age-specific parenting cohorts
• Chief Talent Officer Siobhan Handley – former first-chair litigator and mother of
two young children – held regular check-in calls during COVID
• Launched a Kids Connect volunteer board to arrange virtual meetups among
Orrick kids
• Created a resource site that includes tips for parents on remote work and home
schooling as well as guidance on navigating the current political and social climate
“I am grateful to be part of many DEI initiatives at Orrick, all of which are bright lights of belonging and continuing education, and I am excited to be a co-leader of the firm’s Parents Forum. The Parents Forum provides an invaluable opportunity to engage with colleagues across offices to share experiences, offer support and learn. Our goal is to foster inclusion and connection with all members through this remote-work period and beyond. Our interactions are a steady reminder of the shared and also unique experiences of colleagues and serve as a continuing call to be the best possible teammates and allies.”
– Kate Owen, Senior Career Associate (GOIC)
Women's Initiative
• Focused on action in five key areas: access to deep and meaningful involvement in
client relationships; increasing the number and visibility of women leaders in the
firm; increasing the number of women in the partnership pipeline and the number
of women partners; strengthening connections for women attorneys to each
other and to the firm; and intersectionality.
• Launched our Women’s Initiative Resource Network – built on a curated process
that matches mentors and mentees based on needs and interests – to help our
women lawyers navigate the pandemic and establish mentoring relationships that
will follow them over the years ahead
• Offer mentoring circles to enhance connectivity and business development panel
to create real client opportunities for our members
• Launched an intersectionality conversation series – inspired by the ABA
Commission on Women in the Profession – where small groups of our women
lawyers can share experiences and perspectives around the intersectionality of
race and gender in the legal profession using the ABA Toolkit
• Host a Women of Color Collective that provides a space for creating meaningful
connections, sharing experiences and empowering each other
• In naming us a 2021 Best Law Firm for Women, Working Mother interviewed our
partner Amy Padgett on how Orrick helps women lawyers succeed: “Orrick’s
Family-Friendly Policies and Mentorship Program Set Them Apart in the Industry.”
“Serving as my office’s Women’s Initiative Chair has been a rewarding experience, personally and professionally. It has enabled me to build meaningful relationships with women across the firm as we work together to create mentoring, networking, and career development opportunities for women attorneys at Orrick. I have been inspired by the energy, creativity, and mentoring we have seen from our women. Serving as co-editor of the Women’s Initiative Newsletter, a quarterly publication featuring non-partner attorney achievements, has been especially fulfilling. Watching senior partners reach down to pull more junior women up is very gratifying, I’m extremely grateful this happens here at Orrick.”
– Jennifer Jones, Litigation & IP Practice Manager (GOIC)
DiversAbility Network
The DiversAbility Network provides a supportive community for members and an educational forum for our Orrick team. We are dedicated to promoting awareness specific to living and working with disabilities. Our Network is a safe place for those who identify as well as for allies, advocates, and anyone who wants to share, learn, and grow.
The DiversAbility Network is passionate about advocacy, mentoring, education, and community support. We host conversations to spread awareness and foster inclusivity and belonging. Past events have included recognitions of Autism Acceptance Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, PTSD Awareness Month, and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
The Network collaborates with others to develop resources to benefit our community and colleagues. In particular, we support people with disabilities, employees new to the accommodation process, parents of children with a disability or condition, and their allies and advocates.
Veterans Forum
• Founded the Veterans’ Legal Career Fair in 2015 to provide veterans and their
spouses an opportunity to network and interview with dozens of employers,
including law firms, banks, government agencies and companies such as Microsoft
and Juniper Networks. Our 2023 fair enabled 85 veterans, active military personnel
and spouses to interview with 37 top legal employers. The fair offers professional
photos and help with resumes and interviewing.
• Sponsors events that highlight issues such as PTSD, navigating discharge
characterization upgrades and JAG legal services during deployment.
• Co-sponsored a conversation with Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland
Security, in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the repeal of the government’s
“Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy.
• Arranges mentors for prior service summer associates and new hires.
• Does public-service work, such as cleaning military monuments in Wheeling,
West Virginia, in honor of Memorial Day and assembling care packages with coffee,
snacks and handwritten thank you cards for a deployed National Guard unit.
• Has partnered with nonprofit FORGE to raise thousands of dollars for a suicide
prevention project. Assisted FORGE with numerous pro bono matters across
several subject matter areas.
• Orrick’s pro bono work helps veterans with legal needs associated with things like
starting a small business or navigating the process for discharge characterization
upgrades.
“We’re trying to disrupt…We’re saying that there’s a better way to manage talent, to develop that talent, and to make sure that within the context of that talent everybody is having an equitable right to come in.”
First Generations
Staff Inclusion Networks
Inclusion is not for lawyers only. We have three inclusion networks dedicated to staff: Professionals Of Color Network, Professional PRIDE Network, and the Professional Women’s Network. Each group has a sponsor from our lawyer inclusion networks.
In addition, staff participate in our DiversAbility Network, Parents Forum and
Veterans Forum.
We believe inclusive leadership is better in every way – which is why our Board and Management Committee are 50% diverse.
Goals that get
measured, and shared publicly, get addressed.
2
We’re actively focused on
staffing client teams, confronting implicit bias and creating a strong sponsorship culture.
Diversity starts
at the top.
3
We’re listening to our clients on the
value they place on diverse teams, learning from the best practices of great companies and working together to make our profession more inclusive.
Diversity starts
at the top.
4
Our inclusion networks are
communities that take action and advocate for change in our firm and also connect with bar associations
and other community groups.
Increasing access to
our most valued clients and successful partners
is the best way to accelerate the careers
of diverse lawyers.
5
We are equipping our entire team with the training, tools and accountability to be allies.
Affinity is an
important part of being seen and heard, building
a network and knowing there’s a path.
6
The past years have demanded exceptional grit – and we’ve sought
to find new ways to support our team, make room for caregiving, and destigmatize the conversation
about wellness and mental health.
Increasing access to
our most valued clients and successful partners
is the best way to accelerate the careers
of diverse lawyers.
7
It’s part of the oath we took as lawyers. We have increased our impact through both pro bono representation (99% of our lawyers participate) and an innovative Racial Justice Fellowship Program.
Diversity starts
at the top.
8
Unplug Time
We won some praise for being the first law firm to get serious about making it possible for our teams to unplug. We know that sustaining top performance requires taking time for recovery. Yet remote working – and the hybrid workplace of the future – can create an “always on” expectation that leads to burnout and threatens wellness. As part of our overall vacation policy, we expect our lawyers and staff to take one week fully unplugged each year. To help make that possible, we give lawyers 40 hours of creditable time for unplugging after intense periods of work. And we designate “unplug time” buddies to ensure we have each other’s backs in serving our clients.
Unplug Time
We won some praise for being the first law firm to get serious about making it possible for our teams to unplug. We know that sustaining top performance requires taking time for recovery. Yet remote working – and the hybrid workplace of the future – can create an “always on” expectation that leads to burnout and threatens wellness. As part of our overall vacation policy, we expect our lawyers and staff to take one week fully unplugged each year. To help make that possible, we give lawyers 40 hours of creditable time for unplugging after intense periods of work. And we designate “unplug time” buddies to ensure we have each other’s backs in serving our clients.
“Self-care and self-purpose go hand-in-hand. The more you take care of yourself, the more likely it is that you feel correlated to your purpose.”
Mansfield Certified Plus for the last 6 years
– Diversity Lab, 2023
Mansfield Certified Plus for the last 6 years
Diversity Lab, 2023
“I know that for me personally, if I don’t show up with who I am – my quirks, my approach … my style of leadership, I’m not going to succeed. I can’t play dress up in that role. I think what makes me different is also what makes me successful. When you think about your authentic self, what makes you different also will help you succeed.”
– Miki Woodard, CEO of the Texas Women’s Foundation, at Orrick’s 2022 Dive/In event
Top 10 for
Pro Bono for the past 10 years
– The American Lawyer, 2024
No. 1 for Pro Bono,
No. 2 Social
Impact Leader
– Law360, 2023
Each year, we devote a day to reflecting on DEI in every Orrick office globally. It’s a moment dedicated to listening, knowing each other, and reflecting on our own assumptions. Our 2021 theme focused on leading and building diverse, inclusive and hybrid teams.
“I said, ‘Here’s what I want you to think about every day while I’m your commander. I want you to ask yourself three questions: Have you taken care of your family? Have you taken care of your shipmates? Have you taken care of yourself? If you answer yes to all three of those questions, this will be the greatest theater the U.S. Navy has ever seen.”
Top 10 for Pro Bono for the past 10 years
The American Lawyer, 2024
No. 1 for Pro Bono,
No. 2 Social Impact Leader
Law360, 2023
Black History: Personal Stories About What It Means
In honor of Black History Month 2022 in the United States, the Black Lawyers of Orrick sponsored a video featuring our lawyers and staff talking about what Black history means to them. As BLOO Co-Chair Eugene Clark-Herrera put it: “As I trace my own family’s journey across generations, I see parallels to the experiences of so many other Black Americans, with each generation owing a debt of gratitude to the ones that came before.”
Black History:
Personal Stories About What It Means
In conjunction with the adoption of our Gender Inclusive Workplace Policy in 2020, our LGBTQ+ Affinity Group collaborated with the National LGBT Bar to deliver firmwide training on being a gender-inclusive ally.
“The key about your policy is to let it be led by the person, to understand where their comfort is and how you can support them properly.”
We offer one of the most holistic parental support programs in our profession. It begins with 16 weeks of paid leave for all parental caregivers and another six to eight weeks of benefits
for birth parents. To support parents returning to work, we offer on-ramping, with
a gradual increase in hours, a predictable schedule and
longer-term flexible work hours.
another six to eight weeks of
benefits
16 weeks of paid leave
Veterans Forum
Staff Inclusion Networks
South Asian Attorneys
• Members across the U.S., UK, and Asia, with frequent social events and meetings
to discuss issues and priorities for South Asian legal professionals.
• Collaborated with our Women’s Initiative to sponsor a “Girls Who Code”
conversation in 2023 with Reshma Saujani, a lawyer, author and leading voice for
inclusion in tech.
• Collaborated with Orrick’s Asian Pacific Attorneys Inclusion Network to co-host a
firmwide AAPI Heritage Month dialogue with Kal Pen, an actor and former White
House aide, and Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation.
• Organized a “Path to Partnership” panel with practical guidance for associates on
navigating multiple avenues to becoming a law firm partner.
• Launched a mentoring program for attorneys and staff.
“Participating in the South Asian Inclusion Network has provided a wonderful sense of community and belonging, energized by social events and substantive conversations. Given SAAG’s active network across practices and geographies, I often find that I am already connected to colleagues before our work begets an introduction – which makes our collaboration that much more fulfilling.”
– Mahrukh Madad, Business Development Specialist (Orange County)
First Generations
• Established an intercontinental mentoring program that supports junior attorneys
across a dozen Orrick offices.
• Held group trainings to advance business development goals, including
maintaining professional communications and developing real-time client alerts.
• Facilitated group discussions on early career strategies, professional development
and financial planning.
Eugene Clark-Herrera
As Co-Chair of DEI – Talent Initiatives, Eugene works closely with our Talent team to ensure DEI is embedded in every aspect of our Talent program. As a Public Finance partner, he brings over two decades of experience advising diverse public school systems across the U.S. in facilities financing, nonprofit board service with an arts-based youth development organization, the California Lawyers for the Arts and the Charles Houston Bar Association, an African American lawyers professional association, and over 15 years of leadership roles within Orrick’s DEI programs.
John Palmer
John is a partner in our Public Finance practice. As Co-Chair of DEI – Community & Inclusion, he works with our Communications and Talent teams to create community and a sense of inclusion for our diverse lawyers and staff and for all of us as allies, including through our inclusion network program. John also mentors and coaches our associates of color, with a focus on career strategy and advancement, and helps guide junior lawyers with networking and profile-raising.
Laura Becking
Laura co-leads our Women’s Initiative. In addition to leading Orrick’s Global Employment & Equity Compensation practice, she is also integrated into the firm’s Employment Law and Compensation & Benefits practices, enabling her to offer comprehensive solutions for the modern workplace.
Rachel Patterson
As Orrick’s Senior Talent Manager for DEI, Rachel focuses on the retention and advancement of historically underrepresented lawyers, oversees the firm’s Ally Sponsorship Program, and supports our Legal Innovators and OnRamp Fellows.
Gerald Glover III
As Client Relations & Inclusion Senior Manager, Gerald supports partners in expanding client teams by identifying and facilitating substantive opportunities for historically underrepresented attorneys.
South Asian Attorneys
South Asian Attorneys
• Launched our Parents Forum 2.0,
creating age-specific parenting cohorts
• Chief Talent Officer Siobhan Handley –
former first-chair litigator and mother
of two young children – held regular
check-in calls during COVID
• Launched a Kids Connect volunteer
board to arrange virtual meetups
among Orrick kids
• Created a resource site that includes
tips for parents on remote work and
home schooling as well as guidance on
navigating the current political and
social climate
“I am grateful to be part of many DEI initiatives at Orrick, all of which are bright lights of belonging and continuing education, and I am excited to be a co-leader of the firm’s Parents Forum. The Parents Forum provides an invaluable opportunity to engage with colleagues across offices to share experiences, offer support and learn. Our goal is to foster inclusion and connection with all members through this remote-work period and beyond. Our interactions are a steady reminder of the shared and also unique experiences of colleagues and serve as a continuing call to be the best possible teammates and allies.”
– Kate Owen, Senior Career Associate (GOIC)
First Generations Inclusion Network
First Generations Inclusion Network
• Focused on action in five key areas:
access to deep and meaningful
involvement in client relationships;
increasing the number and visibility of
women leaders in the firm; increasing
the number of women in the
partnership pipeline and the number of
women partners; strengthening
connections for women attorneys to
each other and to the firm;
and intersectionality.
• Launched our Women’s Initiative
Resource Network – built on a curated
process that matches mentors and
mentees based on needs and interests
– to help our women lawyers navigate
the pandemic and establish mentoring
relationships that will follow them over
the years ahead
• Offer mentoring circles to enhance
connectivity and business
development panel to create real client
opportunities for our members
• Launched an intersectionality
conversation series – inspired by the
ABA Commission on Women in the
Profession – where small groups of our
women lawyers can share experiences
and perspectives around the
intersectionality of race and gender in
the legal profession using the ABA
Toolkit
• Host a Women of Color Collective that
provides a space for creating
meaningful connections, sharing
experiences and empowering each
other
• In naming us a 2021 Best Law Firm for
Women, Working Mother interviewed
our partner Amy Padgett on how Orrick
helps women lawyers succeed:
“Orrick’s Family-Friendly Policies and
Mentorship Program Set Them Apart
in the Industry.”
“Serving as my office’s Women’s Initiative Chair has been a rewarding experience, personally and professionally. It has enabled me to build meaningful relationships with women across the firm as we work together to create mentoring, networking, and career development opportunities for women attorneys at Orrick. I have been inspired by the energy, creativity, and mentoring we have seen from our women. Serving as co-editor of the Women’s Initiative Newsletter, a quarterly publication featuring non-partner attorney achievements, has been especially fulfilling. Watching senior partners reach down to pull more junior women up is very gratifying, I’m extremely grateful this happens here at Orrick.”
– Jennifer Jones, Litigation & IP Practice Manager (GOIC)
Our DEI leadership is organized to embed DEI into every aspect of running our firm.
Angelique Magliulo-Hager
As Orrick’s Director of Firmwide Training, Community & Inclusion, Angelique works closely with firm leadership, our inclusion networks and DEI committee to drive training, development and coaching programs to support team members with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Lorraine McGowen
As Firmwide Partner-in Charge of DEI and longtime diversity advocate and community leader, Lorraine is a partner in our Restructuring practice and member of the firm’s senior leadership team. She was named 2019 Rainmaker by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) – a list that honors exceptional diverse lawyers who are leading law figures and have contributed significantly to their communities. In 2023, she was named chair of the board of directors at the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession and on the Advisory Committees for Legal Outreach and the Vance Center for International Justice of the NYCBA.
Sheryl Garko
Our Women’s Initiative co-leader, Sheryl is a leading trial lawyer and founding member of our Boston IP team. She serves on the board of Legal Momentum, the first and oldest legal defense and education fund in the U.S. for women.
Siobhan Handley
Our Chief Talent Officer, Siobhan brings her experience as a litigation partner to designing unique programs, helping to staff client teams and coaching our lawyers. Financial Times named her one of the most innovative Business Leaders in Law in 2020, in part because of her leadership of the firm’s response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the intersecting crises of 2020.