Office Highlights Crowell & Moring’s local offices worked diligently in 2019 to engage in impactful diversity and inclusion events and initiatives. The following highlights demonstrate the significant commitment that each office makes to promote an inclusive culture.
Brussels The Brussels office introduced its newly formed Brussels Inclusion Committee during its all-lawyers meeting in September. Consisting of partner Thomas De Meese; senior counsel Gunther Meyer; associates Judith Bussé, Evelien Jamaels, Evelina Roegiers, and Marieke Van Nieuwenborgh; and Brussels office manager Dieuwke Rethmeier, the BIC's primary goals include: (1) creating and maintaining an inclusive work environment where all feel respected and valued; (2) ensuring that diverse lawyers are given opportunities to excel and be promoted; and (3) promoting different ways of achieving work/ life balance. Hitting the ground running, BIC members presented and enacted a Brussels office maternity/ parental/adoption leave policy and a balanced-hours policy for the office a month later during the Brussels Lawyers Retreat. In 2019, the Brussels chapter of the Women's Leadership Initiative started informal after-work events known as Crowell Café, where lawyers, clients, colleagues, and friends gather to listen to speakers and discuss issues related to diversity and inclusion. In March, the group hosted a client and firm alumni event in honor of International Women’s Day. In June, author Elke Jeurissen presented a talk titled “Diversity Is Not a Problem. It’s a Growth Opportunity for Your Organization,” recounting insights from her book, "Who Run the World," and discussing the importance and power of female leadership. In November, an esteemed panel of corporate, legal department, and government experts led a provocative discussion on diversity and inclusion. Topics covered included nature versus nurture in leadership skills, causes of and solutions to the glass ceiling and pay gaps, and teamwork across generations. Panelists included Ann Caluwaerts, senior vice president, corporate affairs 18
Diversity & Inclusion 2019
Our Crowell Café’s Controversies was a true team effort: we invited wellknown and highly qualified speakers (including female managers, CEOs and the Belgian vice prime minister), and the people who attended were friends, contacts, and colleagues of each and every attorney in our office. The incredible assistance, help, support, and active engagement from our entire marketing and events team and everyone’s attendance and support throughout the evening made the event a great success. Judith Bussé, Associate
at Telenet Group Holding NV; Alexander De Croo, deputy prime minister of Belgium and minister of finance and development cooperation; Monica De Jonghe, director general at VBO-FEB (the Belgian Employer’s federation); Anne De Wolf of De Wolf Legal; and Agapi Patsa, legal counsel for European Union affairs at Google.
London The London office launched its chapter of the firm’s Women’s Leadership Initiative in November, with an inaugural breakfast event attended by London office women lawyers and staff and held under the banner of “helping talented women to flourish and achieve their potential.” Later in the month, the breakfast was followed by a formal lunch at the Ivy restaurant, where more than 30 dynamic female clients and friends joined our lawyers and staff to discuss topics such as confronting imposter
