Diverse Backgrounds : Global Perspectives

Yes.

Mission Statement

Reed Smith LLP is a global relationships law firm.  With offices spanning the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, we are an entity as diverse as the continents across which we practice and as the clients that we serve.  We acknowledge, however, that diverse structure alone does not define true diversity.  Instead, at Reed Smith we strive to encourage the true value of our constituents - lawyers, staff and clients - by fully integrating their unique talents and perspectives into every aspect of our business.

Reed Smith's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Reed Smith, our Core Values - Integrity, Quality, Teamwork & Respect, Performance, and Innovation & Improvement - support our vision and drive our success.  Our Diversity and Inclusion Initiative embodies each of these core values as we believe that diversity at all levels is a true sign of a successful enterprise.  Our priority is to recruit, retain and promote individuals not just without regard to their race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status or physical challenge, but also because of these unique qualities and the value they bring to our Firm and clients.

Our commitment manifests itself in the development of policies and best practices to promote diversity and to engage everyone in that pursuit.  Several years ago, we developed a firm-wide Diversity Committee to oversee the implementation of our initiative.  Through our global growth, we gained awareness that diversity has different meanings and requires various strategies and sensitivities across our markets, so we leverage the market-specific expertise of our colleagues concerning the mores and cultural norms applicable to their regions. 

Reed Smith's commitment to diversity has resulted in a firm where principles of fairness and inclusion permeate our culture.  To attract diverse candidates we instituted a national fellowship in the United States, have intensified our effort to build relationships with universities with high ethnic minority populations, and partnered with groups such as the London-based Black Solicitors Network and Stonewall and U.S.-based Minority Corporate Counsel Association and minority bar associations.  We have developed work-life balance policies designed to ensure that availing oneself of alternative work arrangements does not eliminate you from advancement within the Firm.  We have provided for domestic partner benefits and the "gross-up" pay benefit for our GLBT employees to mitigate the impact of U.S. federal law that treats money spent by an employee for his/her domestic partner's medical insurance as taxable income, while that paid for a spouse's medical insurance is not.  We have a vibrant Women's Initiative Network (WINRS) to promote the successful development and advancement of our women lawyers, and are proud of our promotion of diverse lawyers to leadership positions throughout the Firm.

While we are proud of these accomplishments, we know that much work remains to be done.  Reed Smith intends to remain aggressive in its effort to achieve the full value of a diverse global workforce operating in an inclusive environment where all can excel.  We remain devoted to strengthening our Firm through enhanced cultural competencies, enrichment and a commitment to equality and fairness, and look forward to partnering with clients, colleagues, enterprises and institutions to achieve our mission.

Yes, by clients and industry observers alike.  You can learn more by visiting Articles & Recognitions.

We recognize that diversity will have different meanings and require different approaches from market to market.  In non-U.S. markets, the firm is actively building relationships with universities with high ethnic minority representation.  As a result, of the 34 graduates hired in fall 2008 in our non-U.S. offices, 15 percent were ethnic minorities.  We also seek to leverage the cross-cultural experiences of our personnel across the continents we serve.

Yes.  Reed Smith leadership has assumed roles in industry-leading diversity programs like the "Call to Action" spearheaded by many Fortune 100 companies and clients of the firm.  In fact, Global Managing Partner Greg Jordan co-Chairs the "Call to Action" working group on Recruitment, Retention and Advancement.  Greg is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity.

Reed Smith's Diverse Scholars Program provides a $10,000 award toward tuition for the second year of law school, as well as a paid summer associate position after completion of the second year of law school.  The program is designed to enhance identification and recruitment of diverse lawyers not only to the firm, but to the profession in general.

The Women's Initiative Network of Reed Smith is designed to recruit, retain and help advance the careers of our women lawyers. 

Reed Smith University courses include those designed to provide practice and leadership training to our lawyers, in conjunction with a mentoring program.

The CareeRS initiative is a systematic development program that will help all of our lawyers and staff reach their full potential.

Reed Smith in the UK is a signatory to The Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Charter, the flagship diversity initiative of the UK legal profession.

Reed Smith supports minority and other specially focused bar associations and programs critical to the development of our minority, women, GLBT and disabled lawyers.

A lot.  Reed Smith participates in a wide variety of programs, and sponsors or otherwise supports many different events providing forums for the exchange of ideas and information related to diversity and inclusion.  Here's just a sample:

• ABA Minority Counsel Program
• Asian American Bar Association
• Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Asian Pacific American Law Students
• Asian Pacific American Legal Center
• Asian Pacific Island Legal Outreach
• Association of Black Women Lawyers
• Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey
• California Minority Counsel Program
• Charting Your Own Course (CYOC) Career Conference
• Center on Race and Social Problems
• Corporate Counsel Women of Color's Annual Career Strategies Conference
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• Jackie Robinson Foundation-"Celebrating Excellence" Gala
• Latino Law Students Association at Columbia Law School
• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
• Leadership Council for Legal Diversity
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
• MCCA Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference
• MCCA Diversity Dinner Series
• Multicultural Prism Awards
• National Black Law Students Association
• National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys
• North American South Asian Bar Association
• Philadelphia Diversity Group
• South Asian Bar Association of Philadelphia
• The Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights