[February 02, 2012]

Roetzel Joins Columbus Bar Association in Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative

Roetzel is proud to announce that it has joined the Columbus Bar Association's (CBA) 2011-2016 Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative. The firm is one of 26 organizations from the legal community pledging to foster a diverse and inclusive firm culture by increasing the number of minority attorneys recruited, hired and promoted in the central Ohio area.

Erika L. Haupt, Partner-in-Charge of Roetzel's Columbus office. (Photo: Business Wire)

The CBA Initiative began in 2000 and is currently in its third round of five-year commitments. CBA reports a 74 percent increase in the number of minority attorneys employed at Columbus area law firms since the program's inception.

"The CBA is proud of its history as a leader in the Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative," said David Bloomfield, Jr., president of the CBA. "Though we recognize that we have much to accomplish, the Diversity Intiative has been a success in increasing the number of attorneys of color practicing in firms in Columbus. With the signing of the new plan, the CBA will continue to partner with member firms, bar associations and law schools to create a diverse community of lawyers."

The initiative calls for participating organizations to write and submit to the CBA diversity and inclusion plans with measurable results based on the best practices that meet their specific needs. The participants also agree to create and promote an image of Columbus as a "diverse community of lawyers."

Erika L. Haupt, Partner-in-Charge of Roetzel's Columbus office, said, "Roetzel's participation in the Columbus Bar Association's Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative and Minority Clerkship Program and our proud sponsorship of the National Black Law Students Association's Midwest Regional Conference are just a few examples of our continuing efforts to promote a diverse legal community."

The 2011-2016 action plan builds on the success of the first 10 years with the commitment to recruit, hire, train, retain, and invite to partnership attorneys who are African-American/Black, Asian-Pacific American, Native American Indian, and Hispanic.

"The commitment of these firms to the program is impressive. They see and understand the benefits. As a bar association we have not had to beg them to come to the table, they have done so willingly and allowed the CBA be a partner in this initiative," said Judge Stephen McIntosh, immediate past president of the CBA Board of Governors.

About Roetzel

Founded in 1876, Roetzel is a law firm with 13 offices throughout Ohio, Florida, Illinois, New York and Washington, D.C. The firm has more than 200 attorneys who provide comprehensive, integrated legal counsel in more than 40 different areas of law, and practice both nationally and internationally. For more information, visit ralaw.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50155934&lang=en

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