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As one of the world's largest international law firms, Vinson & Elkins has both an extraordinary opportunity and a responsibility to maintain a culture that nurtures the diverse interests, backgrounds and perspectives of its lawyers. Our people are our principal assets and our success depends on their commitment, ingenuity and ability to anticipate our clients' needs and challenges. In order for our lawyers to provide the finest service to our clients, our firm must take a holistic and comprehensive approach toward understanding, appreciating and maintaining a diverse, vibrant workplace.
A Culture of Diversity
At V&E;, diverse perspectives and backgrounds are a cornerstone of our culture. We are committed to creating an environment that ensures excellence in the quality of life and quality of work product for all our lawyers.
Internally, the firm promotes training and discussions on numerous issues that impact diversity. To implement these programs, the firm created the Attorney Development Office and named a partner as the director to provide and initiate programs to enhance our recruiting efforts and the professional experience of associates. The firm's Management Committee evaluates individual partner contributions relating to diversity as a criteria in its review of partner compensation. In addition, each section of the firm must evaluate how diversity impacts their section and their lawyers, and they are required to report to management on their efforts to increase diversity.
We encourage our lawyers to attend seminars, conferences and bar meetings that highlight issues relevant to attorneys of color, including client development techniques, networking and general issues of diversity. Our partners and associates sit on the boards of over 300 charitable, educational, governmental and professional organizations around the world.
Diversity is pervasive in our pro bono activities, as demonstrated by our history of undertaking various cases that support diversity, such as representing The University of Texas School of Law in defense of its use of affirmative action in law school admissions in the Hopwood case.
In our continuing effort to attract and foster the best and brightest lawyers, V&E; launched a formal Women's Initiative that we believe sets the standard for our profession. Like the Diversity Task Force, the Women's Career Development Council was formed to help our female lawyers expand their career opportunities and balance work-life issues.
As part of our community outreach, the firm makes scholarship, award and endowment contributions to several law schools, as well as contributions to numerous law school organizations that serve minority students. In addition to higher education, V&E; supports minority high school students through the V&E; Scholarship Foundation. To date, the Foundation has awarded 57 scholarships and contributed approximately $475,000 toward college educations.
Our Diversity Initiatives
Our firm management has defined and set forth core values that we incorporate into every aspect of our daily practice. To provide leadership for our diversity initiatives, a Diversity Task Force was formed to guide, research, identify and propose recommendations to recruit, retain and advance minority lawyers.
Today the Diversity Task Force is completing an assessment of our current programs and reviewing proposed initiatives to help us meet our goals. We have retained a nationally respected diversity consultant to advise us on our efforts, with regard to the recruitment, retention and advancement of minority lawyers.
Our Approach
Recruit
V&E; actively recruits minority and female law students. In fact, of the 121 students participating in our 2003 Summer Associates Program, 50% were women and 34% were minorities. We strive to create well-balanced interview teams comprised of women and men from different backgrounds and practices who are knowledgeable about issues affecting women and minorities. Hiring partners from each of our five national offices attend a retreat before each recruiting period to discuss overall strategy to increase diversity. The firm also hosts and sponsors on-campus initiatives of such organizations as Black Law Student Association (BLSA), Hispanic Law Student Association (HLSA) and other organizations with diverse memberships.
Retain
Our New Lawyer Mentoring Program, developed with input from the Women's Career Development Council, the Diversity Task Force and our outside Women's Initiative Advisory Board, is designed to ensure that our new associates become integrated into their sections, the firm and the practice of law. The firm has adopted core competencies that encompass the skills and abilities the firm expects all of our lawyers to develop as they build their careers. The overriding purpose of the core competencies is to promote the development and retention of attorneys who reflect the firm's commitment to excellence, professionalism and diversity; who meet and exceed needs of our clients; who sustain the firm's culture; and who will enhance its future performance.
Advance
V&E; provides our associates of color the essential skills, training, community exposure and opportunities to succeed throughout every step of their careers at V&E.; Under the direction of the Chief Marketing Officer, the firm is working with African American, Asian and Latino senior associates with six or more years of experience to create individual business development plan. Members of the firm's Partnership Admission Committee meet with each associate to discuss the partnership selection process and criteria. The firm strives to target high value cases in which minority lawyers may become involved. In addition, partners at V&E; collaborate with minority associates to get them involved in various aspects of client development.
Future Diversity Initiative
We are pleased with our progress thus far, but recognize we must continue to seek opportunities to expand our efforts. As we strive to increase the diversity of our firm, Vinson & Elkins will provide our lawyers and staff with an experience rich in perspectives, culture and opportunities.
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