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Diversity a must for law firms in Florida, panel tells attorneys
(Palm Beach Post, The (FL) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jun. 21--One message was clear to the lawyers gathered here Friday at the Florida Bar's annual convention: Diversity must be taken seriously.
During the group's diversity symposium at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, a panel of attorneys from major corporations such as DuPont and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. discussed how their companies have made a commitment to work with law firms that show a commitment to diversity.
The panelists said their companies go as far as looking at the number of minorities, women, people with disabilities and even people of different sexual orientations the firms have on staff.
Wal-Mart attorney Miguel Rivera told the attendees that his company began actively focusing on the diversity of its lawyers about five years ago, moving over $60 million in business from majority white male law firms to more diverse practices.
"We are giving work to law firms that are doing it right," Rivera said. "And we're taking work, frankly, from those that aren't doing it." He added that the excuse that a firm "just can't find minority lawyers" is ridiculous -- pointing out that in-house attorneys at Wal-Mart, which is based in northwest Arkansas, is made up of 37 percent minorities and 43 percent women.
But at the same time, law firms can't get away with just token roles for minorities, said Marcia Narine, vice president and deputy general counsel of Miami-based Ryder System Inc.
"We've been victims of old bait-and-switch tactics," Narine said, explaining that some law firms will have minorities in their offices but will not give them prominent roles on cases.
"We've had meetings where the whole United Nations is there, and then you never see some of [those diverse people] again." Many companies now force law firms to report "not only the makeup, but who handles our cases, who's getting promoted," said Rosemarie Schmidt, vice president and senior counsel at Bethesda, Md.-based Marriott International Inc.
"We've pulled our money from law firms we felt haven't been responsive to the issue of diversity," she added.
Friday's discussion marked the first time the Bar's diversity symposium has been held during the annual conference, a move organizers say highlights the importance of diversity to the profession.
"Diversity is not an option in doing business in corporate America anymore," said Fort Lauderdale attorney Eugene Pettis, a member of the Bar's Board of Governors and diversity symposiums planning committee chair.
"It's the right policy to have legal teams that reflect society, and it's good for business."
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Copyright (c) 2008, The Palm Beach Post, Fla.
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