Diversity & Inclusion 2015

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Diversity & Inclusion 2015


DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

CONTENTS

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From our CEO, Managing Director and Chair

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Diversity: Our Mission

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From our Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer

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Making Progress: 2013-2014

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Buchanan Diversity Spotlight

Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Trends

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Diversity: Our Fabric

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What Our Clients Say About Diversity

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Looking Forward


From our

CEO, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHAIR

CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PROFESSIONALS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES CAN GROW AND THRIVE IS ESSENTIAL TO ONGOING SUCCESS

To all lawyers and government relations professionals: We know that creating an environment where professionals of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives can grow and thrive is essential to the ongoing success of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. For good reasons, our clients are insisting that we demonstrate an ability to field diverse teams, which are better able to provide creative solutions to their problems. We are committed to meeting that demand and to ensuring equal opportunities to all our professionals regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, faith, or marital or parental status. We see this not only as a moral imperative, but also as a strategic business imperative. Studies have repeatedly found a correlation between corporate diversity and financial success. I invite you to join in supporting and sustaining a culture of mutual respect and inclusion at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. Please take the time to read this Diversity Report and learn about some of the contributions made by our diverse attorneys to our firm, our profession and the communities where we practice, as well as our many programs aimed at enhancing our diversity profile. Then I ask you each to commit to helping us reach our goal of improving our retention, recruitment and promotion of lawyers and government relations professionals of all backgrounds. Thank you for supporting this very important initiative.

Jack Barbour CEO, Managing Director and Chair

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

DIVERSITY: OUR MISSION

The different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives of our attorneys and government relations professionals are a critical source of the firm’s vitality, enrich the legal services that we provide our clients and enhance the future success of the firm. We are committed to supporting and sustaining a culture of inclusion that reflects both the ever-increasing diversity of our clients and the interconnectedness

We are committed to ensuring that diversity is a top priority

of the world in the 21st century. We recognize that only by fostering such a workplace culture will the firm continue to attract the best talent and support the development of long-term client relationships. We are committed to ensuring that diversity is a top priority in the hiring, retention and advancement of our attorneys and other professionals. All of our professionals are encouraged to reach their goals and fulfill their potential, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, faith, or marital or parental status. Our core values of inclusiveness, cultural awareness and mutual respect creates an environment that is welcoming, collegial and open to new ideas and change.

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From our

CHIEF DIVERSITY & INCLUSION OFFICER

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OUR GOAL IS TO BE IN THE TOP 25 PERCENT OF OUR PEER FIRMS

The four imperatives of our diversity initiatives and programs are:

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To improve the rate of retention of our talented diverse attorneys and government relations professionals; To recruit and hire additional talented diverse attorneys and government relations professionals; To ensure equal opportunities for all our attorneys and government relations professionals to grow and thrive and to be promoted to higher levels in the firm; and To ensure equal opportunities for all our attorneys and government relations professionals to advance into leadership positions in the firm.

Our goal is to be in the top 25 percent of our peer firms with regard to each of these pillars – retention, recruitment, promotion and elevation into leadership positions. I will be working with the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, the Women’s Business Development Committee, the Advisory and Associates Committees, the Lateral Recruiting Committee, Section and Office leaders and other members of the Buchanan leadership team and community to achieve this goal. This Diversity Report re-affirms Buchanan’s commitment to greater diversity in our ranks, at all levels and in all sections and offices, and I invite – and urge – all members of the Buchanan community to contribute to the attainment of our goal. You will find some ideas on how you can get involved in this report. To make progress requires us all to be involved.

Susan A. Yohe Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

MAKING PROGRESS: 2013-2014 BI G P I C TURE MERGER The Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney/Fowler White Boggs merger in 2014 brought to Buchanan A good thing additional diverse lawyers at every level of the firm, as well as new ideas and relationships with organizations committed to increasing diversity in

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF DIVERSITY & INCLUSION OFFICER

In November 2014, the firm appointed Susan Yohe, former Litigation Shareholder, former Managing Shareholder of the Pittsburgh Office and former Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee to the new role of Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. In this role, Susan will (1) FOWLER WHITE BOGGS BUCHANAN INGERSOLL & ROONEY assist firm leaders in attracting, recruiting, retaining, nurturing, engaging and elevating more diverse talent; and (2) assist the firm in communicating the firm’s the profession, which were generated by the FWB commitment to diversity to our attorneys, our clients Diversity Committee. The Committee was made and our communities. up of a cross-section of the firm’s board members, shareholders, associates and staff from its five I am convinced that we must do offices. Its goal was to be a leader in embracing and a better job at attracting, retaining, promoting diversity in the recruitment, development promoting and leveraging diverse and retention of its professionals.

just got better.

The merger brought to Buchanan’s Diversity Committee new members from the FWB offices, including former FWB Chair, Rhea Law, those actively involved in the former firm’s successful diversity initiatives and FWB diverse attorneys.

The success of a diversity program in the workplace is measured in the enhanced respect and collegiality in the workforce and the recognition of our clients that we reflect them and their businesses.” Rhea Law

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talent. Better ideas and better client service come from more diverse teams, and our clients are demanding that we provide them… I look forward to all of you supporting the renewed focus on diversity that Susan’s appointment brings… [A]ll of us have to be committed if we are going to do better in this endeavor.” Jack Barbour


EXPANDED PARENTAL LEAVE In January 2013, the firm announced an expanded parental leave policy, which enables secondary care givers to take two weeks paid leave upon the birth or adoption of a child. The policy has been wellreceived, and in the two years since its inception, 15 men have taken advantage of the opportunity to spend time at home with their newly born or adopted children.

PROMOTION In her new role as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Susan will continue to lead efforts to help women and diverse attorneys to develop the skills necessary to be promotion-ready and to assist the Advisory Committee and the Associates Committee in assuring equal opportunities for advancement to all qualified lawyers.

[My promotion] would not be possible without all [the] efforts towards our diversity group, from which I learned more aspects of the practice than merely doing good work. The initiatives are working!” Buchanan Shareholder

EXPANDING AND SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGE FIRM-WIDE TRAINING Working Across Generations

Unconscious Bias in Evaluations

Well-regarded and popular management and organizational development consultant, Chris DeSantis, spoke to the firm on working across generations in April 2013. His lecture focused on the differences in the multiple generations now practicing law together in workplace behaviors, motivation and tools.

In December 2013, the firm engaged Lauren Rikleen of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership and Executive-in-Residence at Boston College Center for Work & Family, to speak in our Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. offices. All attorneys were encouraged by Jack Barbour to attend this important presentation on unconscious bias in the evaluation process.

You have probably heard it from others, but the Generations speaker was probably the best non-subjectmatter-specific CLE speaker I’ve heard on-site here in 10 years.” Buchanan Shareholder

Gender Matters In May 2014, Chris DeSantis returned to speak to all attorneys once again on how gender impacts the way we think and how we view each other and work together.

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

MENTORING AND SPONSORSHIP Tips from the Top: Link In! A subcommittee of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee that is focused on women’s initiatives and the Women’s Business Development Committee rolled out an intensive mentoring program in fall 2013 for both female and male senior associates and senior attorneys called “Tips from the Top: Link In!” Participants were The Tips from the Top grouped in small mentoring circles led by two prominent program was the best thing I shareholders (one man and one woman). The groups have participated in at the firm. engaged in a year-long series of discussions addressing My team leader, Jacqui Lazo, was topics such as rounding-out skill sets, positioning oneself for not afraid to candidly broach topics promotion, developing great business plans and marketing that others treat as off-limits.” oneself both internally and externally.

Buchanan Associate

RE C R U I TI NG DIVERSITY CONNECTORS

1L DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

In September 2013, the firm decided to leverage the existing networks of our attorneys to identify and recruit potential diverse lawyers. To date, over 50 attorneys have stepped up to be Diversity Connectors. Job postings are circulated to the Diversity Connectors, and they are invited to share the postings with qualified diverse candidates and refer them to the Recruiting Department.

The firm continued its participation in the 1L diversity placement programs sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association and the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group in 2014, welcoming one diverse first year law student into the firm’s summer associate program in each of its two largest offices.

A F F I N I T Y G ROUP I NI T IATIV ES ATTORNEY OF COLOR RETREAT

2013

Werten Bellamy provided excellent information, which will surely be useful to my practice in the future. I also found that simply meeting the attorneys from other offices who were invited to this retreat and hearing about their respective backgrounds, interests and practices will allow me to advocate more clearly for the firm overall and the diversity of its assets (i.e., people) in particular.”

The firm hosted its second bi-annual Attorney of Color Retreat in October 2013 in Philadelphia, attended by the firm’s diverse attorneys, members of the Diversity Committee, other attorneys specifically identified and invited by our diverse attorneys as current or future leaders of Attorney of Color the firm, and select alumni and clients. The Buchanan Counsel R E T R E A T agenda included cultural-sharing exercises, a presentation from the Dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and remarks from nationally known consultant, Werten Bellamy, on becoming an indispensable member of the workforce.

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SANDBERG BOOK DISCUSSION In April 2013, Buchanan’s women joined professional women everywhere in reading and discussing Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Facilitated discussions occurred in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. Some groups invited men to join them, and some invited clients to join in.

A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes.” Sheryl Sandberg

CONFIDENCE PROGRAM The Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Women’s Business Development Committee jointly sponsored a program inspired by an article in The Atlantic by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. The article, entitled “The Confidence Gap,” posited that confidence is more important than competence to career success and that women are overall less confident than men. The program was held in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in Fall 2014 and in Tampa in early 2015. A panel of Buchanan women led a discussion of issues suggested in the article, which was followed by small group dinners where the discussion continued in a more intimate setting. Women from smaller offices were invited to travel to the larger offices to join the program.

I just wanted to say thanks for yesterday – I really enjoyed the program … and had a wonderful time at dinner. It felt good to know that I’m working with (and have the support of) so many amazing women at the firm. I’m going to take what I learned from you all yesterday and reinvent myself as a better, more proactive lawyer.” Buchanan Associate

ONE STEP ABOVE FWB’s active Women’s Marketing Group focused on key client strategy and business development initiatives. The coveted “One Step Above” shoe award was given by the group once each quarter to a woman attorney who had excelled in business and practice development. The FWB women shareholders and counsel invited their new Buchanan colleagues to join them at a reception immediately prior to the kick-off dinner at the firm’s shareholder’s retreat in June 2014 and presented the “One Step Above” award to San Diego lawyer, Kimberly Arouh.

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

A D VA N C I NG DI VE RS I TY IN TH E PROFESSION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ON LAW FIRM DIVERSITY

THE MINORITY CORPORATE COUNSEL ASSOCIATION

In December 2014, Jack Barbour joined the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. The LCLD has become the most important diversity-related group in the legal profession since its founding in 2009. (Rhea Law was one of its inaugural members.) The LCLD’s signature program is its Fellows Program, which is designed to create a new generation of diverse leaders for the legal profession. The firm quickly nominated its first Fellow, Shawn Cage, counsel in the Intellectual Property section and co-chair of the section’s Electrical Practice Group.

The firm continues as a FAN (a member of the Law Firm Affiliate Network) of the MCCA and actively participates in its events on both a local and national basis. The firm utilizes the research and resources of the MCCA and participates in its annual Vault survey to track our diversity progress and view the achievements and progress of other firms and the industry.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS The firm became a bronze sponsor of the National Association of Women Lawyers in 2014. This partnership – led by Genevieve Spires, counsel in the FDA/Biotechnology practice group based in the Newark office – allows women increased access to programming, resources and opportunities on a national scale.

PHILADELPHIA WOMEN’S TASK FORCE The firm joined the Philadelphia Task Force for Women Lawyers in 2013. This organization brings women leaders together monthly to exchange ideas for advancing women into leadership positions both in their firms and communities. Buchanan’s woman-at-the-table is Beth Long, counsel in the Litigation Section in Philadelphia.

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NATIONAL DIVERSITY COUNCIL/ FLORIDA DIVERSITY COUNCIL The National Diversity Council’s vision is to transform workplace communities into environments where people are valued for their uniqueness and are confident that their contributions matter. FWB was a founding corporate sponsor and contributed to its expansion throughout Florida.

UNITED STATES LAW FIRM GROUP USLFG is a national network of 18 law firms comprised of 16 committees that meet and confer regularly on current legal and practice developments. Legacy FWB attorneys have members on all 16 committees, including the Diversity and Women’s Committees.

THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Jennifer Olmedo-Rodriguez is a member of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and has been appointed to its Corporate Counsel Committee.


DIVERSITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE Cathy Beveridge Labor, Employment, Benefits and Immigration Tampa

Barbara A. Binzak Blumenfeld FDA/Biotechnology Washington, D.C.

Tanya Bosi Litigation New York City

David Fernรกndez Financial Institutions, Bankruptcy and Real Estate New York City

Jose Florez

Thomas S. Giotto Section head, Labor, Employment, Benefits and Immigration Pittsburgh

Dani Rosetti Kalafat Director of Professional Development & Diversity Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth L. Long Litigation Philadelphia

Jennifer Olmedo-Rodriguez Litigation Miami

Patrick C. Keane

Carl Rothenberger

Executive Shareholder, Intellectual Property Alexandria

Corporate Finance and Technology Pittsburgh

Rebecca Lando Section Head, Financial Institutions, Bankruptcy and Real Estate Pittsburgh

Rhea Law

Litigation Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Chair, Florida Offices, Financial Institutions, Bankruptcy and Real Estate Tampa

Rudy Garcia

Laurie Lenigan

Litigation Philadelphia

Director of Legal Recruiting Pittsburgh

Jonathan Vipond Health Care Harrisburg

Susan Yohe Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Pittsburgh

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

BUCHANAN DIVERSITY SPOTLIGHT

Associates

Senior Attorneys

Attorneys of Color: 21 or 16.4%

Attorneys of Color: 4 or 20%

Women: 68 or 53% Men: 60 or 47%

Women: 12 or 60%

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Men: 8 or 40 %

TOTAL

Counsel

Shareholders

Attorneys of Color: 11 or 15%

Attorneys of Color: 6 or 2.6%

Women: 25 or 34.7% Men: 47 or 65.3%

Women: 51 or 22.3%

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Men: 178 or 77.7%

TOTAL

Government Relations Professionals 12

20

TOTAL

229 TOTAL

Professionals of Color: 2 or 8.3% Women: 11 or 45.8%

Men: 13 or 54.2%

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TOTAL


TRENDS

62

.5%

In 2014, Buchanan named eight new voting shareholders (effective Feb. 1, 2015). Five – or 62.5% – were women. This compares to the about 20 percent of women promoted to equity shareholder in AmLaw100 firms in 2014, according to the Eighth Annual NAWL National Survey on the Retention NEW FEMALE VOTING and Promotion of Women in Law Firms. In the AmLaw200, SHAREHOLDERS about 40 percent of new equity shareholders were women. On the other hand, in firms surveyed by NAWL, lateral recruiting of equity shareholders continues to be overwhelmingly male, making material improvement in the number of female equity shareholders among the AmLaw 200 unlikely in the near future. The good news for Buchanan is that the merger with Fowler White Boggs brought Buchanan three new women equity shareholders and four new women participating shareholders. Almost half of the RFPs the firm responded to in 2014 included diversity-related questions. Some sample questions: • Set forth any diversity initiatives or activities of your law office and the actual results, if any, which have been achieved by such activities. • Please describe your firm’s commitment to diversity in recruiting and retention. • Please list any diversity-related awards, certifications or accreditations your firm has received. • Please provide an overview of your commitment to diversity and how this would be reflected in your relationship with [client]. Results from the third wave of the After the JD survey were presented at the ABA Midyear Meeting in April 2014. The study surveyed over 4,000 lawyers from the class of 2000 (all of whom had passed the bar) in 2003, 2007 and 2012. Among the findings of the 2012 survey: •

24% of the surveyed lawyers were not practicing law in 2012 (compared to 9% in 2003).

• Women working full-time earned 80% of the pay reported by their male counterparts. Pay disparity grew over time – from 5% in 2003 to 15% in 2007 to 20% in 2012. •

52.3% of women working in law firms were partners; 68.8% of men working in law firms were partners.

80.4% of lawyers working in large firms of 251+ lawyers expressed moderate or high job satisfaction.

• There are a higher percentage of African-American lawyers in government than in the population as a whole and African-Americans changed jobs more frequently than other lawyers. •

55.3% of graduates from Top 10 law schools reported working for large firms of 251+ lawyers in 2003; 16.8 % of these graduates worked for large firms in 2012.

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

DIVERSITY: OUR FABRIC Get to Know Some of Our New Diverse Lawyers

Tiffany Jenca When Tiffany Jenca received her bachelor’s degree, she was already working full-time. She continued to work for five more years before taking the LSAT and she is very glad she did. When she finally entered law school, she was refreshed and strongly committed to her studies. However, she was not willing to give up her career or her income as a Marketing Coordinator at Giant Eagle to take a chance on the law. For this reason, she continued working full-time and attended Duquesne University School of Law in the evenings. It was hard, Tiffany admits. That “strong commitment” and the focus she had developed during her five-year academic hiatus were absolutely necessary to get her through the four years of working and commuting about three hours each day and attending law school. Tiffany was unwilling to move from Ohio, where she lives, because her younger brother – who lives just eight houses away from her – is developmentally disabled and adores her husband (and undoubtedly Tiffany too). It would be very difficult for him to understand Tiffany and her husband moving away, and Tiffany was unwilling to change careers at his expense. “On the upside,” she notes, “the fact that I touch three states every morning on the way to work gave me a great conversation starter for all the “tell me about yourself” questions during on-campus interviews.” Tiffany is a Labor & Employment associate based in Pittsburgh.

Alex Gapihan Alex Gapihan, who will join Buchanan as a first-year associate in the fall of 2015, is the son of diplomats, who had the opportunity to live in a number of countries throughout his formative years. He says that the experience of acclimating to new environments, cultures and languages was key to shaping his understanding of the world. He has a strong belief in the value of fostering diversity of thoughts, beliefs and backgrounds in any group or organization. This conviction inspired him to study Chinese and live in China for four years. It also led him to pursue a legal career, where he believes that the experience he gained living in diverse cultures will allow him to bring a unique perspective to tackling complex legal issues.

Victoria Forson Oguntoye Victoria Oguntoye was born in London but grew up in Nigeria. Believing that a solid education was necessary for a successful future and the achievement of her dreams, she left her family and country and came to the United States with $100 and one already-paid-for semester of college tuition. While in college, she worked full-time, first as a debt collector and later as a financial counselor to families with debt issues. Helping others strengthened her resolve to become a lawyer. While a first-year law student at the University of Florida, Victoria learned of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Scholars Program while researching career opportunities on the Fowler White Boggs website. Knowing she wanted to make Tampa her home, she applied to Fowler White Boggs because of its participation in the Scholars Program and was hired as a 1L summer associate and participated in the LCLD program. Victoria returned to Fowler White Boggs for a second summer and joined the firm as an associate in the fall of 2014. By this time, Victoria was married, celebrating her marriage both here and in Nigeria to include her larger family circle and friends. By the time she studied for and passed the Florida bar, her first child, David, was born.

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In the four months that Victoria has worked at Buchanan, she has logged over 40 pro bono hours and presented an ethics CLE to attorneys and judges in the Tampa area entitled “Ethical Considerations in Social Media.” In addition, Victoria is furthering the firm’s integration efforts by working with the Philadelphia long-term care practice group and bringing this experience to our Florida offices.


David J. Fernández Born and raised in New York of Spanish parents, David J. Fernández has been practicing law since 1993 and has been actively promoting diversity in the bar from the very first day after he left law school. It was on that day that the Speaker of the New York State Assembly placed Dave as counsel to the New York State Assembly/New York State Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force. As counsel, Dave promoted legislation and budget issues for the State’s Hispanic communities and represented Task Force members on Hispanic-related issues. Following his tenure in the Assembly, Dave moved to the private sector and has served on the diversity committees of every firm where he has worked (including, now, Buchanan). While at Dorsey, Dave was an executive member of the firm’s diversity committee during a time when Dorsey was extremely active in advancing its diversity agenda. When Dave joined Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP, a firm with deep roots in promoting diversity, he was immediately asked to co-chair the firm’s Diversity Committee. While co-chair, Dave was actively involved in the New York City Bar Association’s Diversity Fellowship Program, which provides highly qualified minority candidates with the opportunity to work as summer associates in New York City law firms. Currently, Dave is very active with the National Association of Bond Lawyers, the pre-eminent association affiliated with his primary area of practice, and has not only served on the Association’s Diversity Committee, but is currently serving as Chair of the Association’s Fundamentals of Municipal Bond Law Conference and has been pro-active in bringing additional diverse attorneys to the conference as faculty/mentors. Dave’s commitment to promoting diversity in the bar is continuing, and he is looking forward to working with everyone at Buchanan to advance the firm’s diversity initiatives.

LaToya Sawyer LaToya Sawyer, an associate in the FIBRE Section in Pittsburgh, says her career has been largely shaped by two forces: a myriad of diverse experiences and a network of supportive friends, family and professional mentors. Before deciding to go to law school, LaToya spent several years exploring other paths that included facilitating leadership conferences in Washington, D.C., teaching English in a foreign country, interning for a magazine publication and even working at a local gym. “Although these experiences helped me to hone important professional skills, my greatest take-away was learning the business of people – how people work, live, operate and co-exist in different environments and cultures,” said LaToya. “I consider my diverse experience with people to be my greatest professional asset.”

Kristina Bevenour Kristina Bevenour, a Labor & Employment associate based in Philadelphia, is Armenian and Russian but came to the United States from Uzbekistan. She grew up very differently from her American peers. In her culture, being able to negotiate is a survival skill, and Kristina learned to barter in the market as a young child. In Uzbekistan, Kristina’s parents were both well-established engineers with advanced degrees, but when the family came to the United States, they had to start over. At first, Kristina’s parents worked as house cleaners and bussers at a café, as they learned English and pursued new degrees and careers. In the meantime, Kristina was thrown into second grade, her first encounter with formal schooling. She did not know any English except, “My name is Kristina, and I am not taking the bus home.” While her parents were re-establishing themselves, she was learning to be independent and to contribute to the household by cooking, cleaning and caring for herself as much as possible. Many of her peers viewed her experiences as hurdles, but she views them as “treasured lessons.” “Sure, I was different,” says Kristina, but “my differences give me a unique perspective – a global perspective that allows me to straddle multiple cultures and languages and better understand the world I and my clients live in.”

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT DIVERSITY

MARSHA JONES

Diversity and inclusion are increasingly recognized WE APPLAUD as important principles of BUCHANAN INGERSOLL & ROONEY good management and FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO THESE have long been among our SAME VALUES. core values at PNC. We aim to assemble and develop the best possible team of thinkers and achievers in order to deliver for all of our constituencies. We can only do that if we are open to the entire field of available people and if every member of our team has the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the success of the company. We applaud Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney for its commitment to these same values. Marsha Jones Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer The PNC Financial Services Group

PATRICK J. GERAGHTY

In an increasingly diverse marketplace, a strong commitment to creating an environA STRONG ment of inclusion – one that celebrates the COMMITMENT full spectrum of skills, backgrounds, beliefs and perspectives – is essential to success. TO CREATING AN Our stakeholders must have confidence that ENVIRONMENT we understand their needs and will meet or OF INCLUSION... exceed their expectations. Doing so depends IS ESSENTIAL TO on the power of our internal diversity and our SUCCESS. ability to create an environment in which all employees feel respected and valued. By recognizing, understanding and embracing the uniqueness of all individuals, and partnering with like-minded organizations, we collectively create a culture that embodies diversity, mirrors our customers and business partners, and attracts and retains the high-caliber talent that is critical to a thriving business. Patrick J. Geraghty Chairman and CEO Florida Blue

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ARTHUR J. ROONEY, II

I know what a difference a strong commitment to diversity can make in an organizaI AM PROUD OF tion. After the hiring of the first black head THE ROLE MY FATHER coach in the 1920s, the NFL had only seven PLAYED IN more minority coaches until the implementation of the Rooney Rule in 2003. Named for ADVANCING DIVERSITY my father, Dan Rooney, who was the chair IN THE NFL. of the league’s diversity committee when the Rule was established, the Rule requires any NFL team with an opening for head coach to interview at least one minority candidate. (The Rule was expanded to apply to openings for general manager in 2007, too.) Since the Rule, the NFL has had 13 minority head coaches. I am proud of the role my father played in advancing diversity in the NFL and proud of the Steelers’ long history of having individuals of color serving in team leadership. I am glad that Buchanan shares the same strong commitment to diversity as we have at the Steelers. Arthur J. Rooney, II President and Co-owner Pittsburgh Steelers

THE FIRM WISHES TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO MADE THIS REPORT POSSIBLE:

Deb Brewer

Elizabeth Long

Danielle Rosetti Kalafat

Susan Yohe

Rhea Law

Beth Wysocki

Laurie Lenigan 17


DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 2015

LOOKING FORWARD A PREVIEW OF SOME UPCOMING EVENTS

Third Bi-Annual Attorney of Color Retreat tentatively scheduled for October 2015. Highly successful Tips from the Top! program to re-launch for senior associates and senior attorneys in January 2016. Firm-wide training in May on cultural literacy. Buchanan involvement with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity to ramp-up in 2015: • Buchanan’s Shawn Cage to participate in the year-long LCLD Fellow’s program • Jack Barbour to attend sixth annual meeting September 28 and 29 in Chicago • Buchanan’s diverse 1L summer associates to be LCLD Scholars LaToya Sawyer and Danielle Mechling to attend the National Summit of Black Women Lawyers April 9-11 in Chicago. CDIO to work with section heads to increase both recruitment and retention of diverse lawyers. Lecture series for diverse lawyers in corporate law firms and legal departments to be piloted in Pittsburgh.

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BUCHANAN INGERSOLL & ROONEY | DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? We ask each Buchanan lawyer to commit to taking at least five actions in support of diversity in 2015. Below are suggestions of things you might want to do, from actions that may take only a few minutes to some that require an ongoing commitment of your time and energy. Do what you can. Together, we can reach our goal of being a more diverse law firm. ENGAGING WITH OUR DIVERSE LAWYERS* Will Do

Action

Achieved

Find an opportunity to ask someone different from you and with whom you have not previously worked to assist you with a legal project or task. Take a diverse lawyer to a meeting with a client or to a client event. Mentor a diverse lawyer.** Or better yet, sponsor a diverse lawyer.*** Reach out to a woman coming back to work after having a child and offer your encouragement. If you are able, share your own experiences. Get to know the outside interests of a lawyer different from you and see if you find a common interest. If you do, follow-up – perhaps by attending an event together or sharing something tangible related to the shared interest. Ask a diverse lawyer about his or her career ambitions and share your own experiences and advice. Assist a diverse lawyer with preparation of a written Business Development Plan. (If you think you would be good at this and need a referral to someone who would benefit from your experience, just ask the CDIO.) Consider diversity when putting together your next team, and take affirmative steps to diversify the team. Recommend a diverse lawyer as a CLE presenter. Recommend a diverse lawyer to sit on a not-for-profit board. If you know of an accomplishment of a diverse lawyer, talk it up to your colleagues! *When we refer to “diverse” lawyers, that might refer to lawyers different from you in a variety of ways, including by race, gender, ethnicity, color, background, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation. **Mentors offer advice, support and guidance to their mentees. They often act as a sounding board for their mentees. ***Sponsors are personally invested in the success of their protégés, doing all the things a mentor would do but, in addition, opening doors, making introductions and advocating on behalf of their protégés.

RECRUITING DIVERSE LAWYERS Will Do

Action

Achieved

Sign up to be a Diversity Connector and help us identify qualified diverse candidates. Identify a diverse lawyer whom Buchanan should consider for lateral recruiting. Bring the candidate to the attention of the appropriate section chair and the Recruiting Department. Ask a client or a colleague at another law firm about the challenges he or she has faced in recruiting diverse employees and find out what has worked for them. Share what you learn with the CDIO. Volunteer to staff the Buchanan table at a diversity recruiting event. Volunteer to interview diverse candidates seeking to participate in the 1L summer programs of the bar associations in your county. Ask a summer associate who is different from you to lunch, an event or a meeting. Reach out to a diverse summer associate and ask them if they need any help or have any questions that you can answer. Volunteer to mentor a diverse summer associate after the summer program ends. Links to diversity-themed articles and other resources available at www.bipc.com/diversity-resources


OTHER WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THE FIRM’S COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY Will Do

Action

Achieved

Attend a diversity-related program offered in-house and actively participate. Recruit a Buchanan colleague, who might not otherwise attend, to come to a Buchanan-sponsored diversity activity, program or event. Attend a diversity-related program elsewhere, and pass along your new knowledge or ideas to others at the firm. Share with the CDIO a good idea for a diversity activity, program or event. Discuss the firm’s commitment to diversity with your clients. Ask a client to partner with the firm to plan or participate in a diversity program or event or to achieve a diversity-related goal. Assist in the planning of a Buchanan-sponsored diversity activity, program or event. Share with a colleague what you have personally committed to do to advance diversity at Buchanan. Set up a meeting with the firm’s CDIO to discuss ways you can help the firm ensure that all our lawyers have equal opportunities to grow and thrive. Participate in one of the numerous community service projects that take place every year on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. National Day of Service information is located here: http://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/days-service/martin-luther-king-jr-day-service-0 Recognize and reject all forms of intolerance for differences. If you hear anything even remotely inappropriate, address it immediately. UNCONSCIOUS BIAS Will Do

Action

Achieved

Watch a Ted Talk about the biases we all have and how to recognize, confront – and even overcome – them. http://jerrykang.net/2013/12/11/tedx-immaculate-perception https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases_walk_boldly_toward_them http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bloom_can_prejudice_ever_be_a_good_thing Over 5 million people have taken one of Harvard University’s implicit bias tests. You can select one or more to take here: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html Read Dr. Arin Reeves’ startling report of her research into bias in the evaluation of the same legal memorandum purportedly written by a white lawyer and purportedly written by a black lawyer. http://www.nextions.com/wp-content/files_mf/14151940752014040114WritteninBlackandWhiteYPS.pdf GETTING OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE Will Do

Action

Achieved

Select a colleague whom you do not know very well and who is different from you and ask them to lunch or for coffee or drinks after work. Ask them about their background, find out what interests them or what challenges they are confronting, and offer to help if you can. Contact an affinity group of your local bar association of which you are not a member and ask for a list of upcoming events or meetings. Attend one. Attend a diversity-themed event in your city. Expand your social circle to include an individual or family whom you do not know very well and who is different from you. Invite them to dinner at your home or to an event you can attend together. If you are not used to being in the minority, seek out an event or a function where you will be in the minority. Volunteer at a not-for-profit that serves an underrepresented population. FEEDING THE PIPELINE Will Do

Action

Achieved

Volunteer to speak to a diverse group of students at any level from elementary school to law school about careers in the law. Contact a law students affinity group and offer to serve as a mentor, or to serve as a coach of a moot court team or to support them in some other way. Coach a moot court team in a high school with a diverse population. Links to diversity-themed articles and other resources available at www.bipc.com/diversity-resources


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