Commitment to Diversity

Courtroom Divas Blog -- www.courtroomdivas.com, is a resource for female executives in law and other professions which will be the source to keep them up to date on best practices, benchmarking, current issues and trends associated with issues that disproportionately affect women in leadership, business and law.

Bowman and Brooke Partners Sandra Giannone Ezell and Lawrence Mann had an opportunity to sit down with the men and women tasked with developing and implementing diversity programs at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Toyota’s U.S. sales and marketing arm, to hear about their diversity success story, as well as with members of their legal department, including its general counsel. Their article that brings those interviews to life, was featured in DRI's In-House Quarterly Winter 2010 edition.

Lots of law firms talk about diversity. And talk, and talk. At Bowman and Brooke, we walk the walk.

Diversity is one of most important core values.

"We embrace diversity because it reflects the communities in which we live, the judges and juries before whom we try cases, and the clients who rely on our legal services."

- Sandra Gianonne Ezell, Managing Partner, Richmond

"Diversity is not so much about numbers as a fundamental recognition, earnest appreciation, and genuine acceptance of all the qualities that make individuals unique and organizations strong."

- Lawrence C. Mann, Managing Partner, Detroit

We recruit, mentor and promote to partnership minority and women lawyers.

17% of our partners are minorities
17% of our lawyers are minorities
26% of our partners are women
39% of our lawyers are women
Four of our nine offices are led by minority or women managing partners

Bowman and Brooke's Female and Minority Partners

We hold leadership positions and invest our time and resources in organizations that sponsor minority law students and lawyers and promote diversity.

ABA Litigation Section, Women's Advocacy Group
ABA Women Rainmakers' Committee
Arizona State University Minority Legal Writing Program
Arizona Women's Lawyers
California Minority Counsel Program
DRI Diversity Committee
Hispanic National Bar Association
Japanese American Bar Association
Japanese American Society of Minnesota
Metropolitan Richmond Women's Bar Association
Minnesota American Indian Bar Association
Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers
Minnesota Women Lawyers
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
National Bar Association
Twin Cities Diversity in Practice
Virginia Women Attorneys Association

Our diversity improves who we are as trial lawyers, as problem-solvers for our clients, and as community leaders.

"People from different backgrounds and experiences bring different perspectives and different problem-solving skills to bear on client problems. If we all thought the same way on every issue, or if we thought about every issue the same way, we could not resolve issues creatively, and creativity is essential for trial lawyers."

- Michelle Rognlien Gilboe, former hiring partner, Minneapolis

Not only do we feel strongly about our diversity initiatives, but others do to. Our diversity record has been recognized in the community:

2009 Crain’s Diversity Award
2008 DRI Law Firm Diversity Award
2005 DRI Law Firm Diversity Certificate of Merit
2005 Hennepin County Bar Association Diversity Award

"We are proud of our diversity record. We are committed to diversity. We will walk the walk."

- George Soule, Managing Partner, Minneapolis; Past President, Minnesota American Indian Bar Association

We have called attention and will continue to call attention to the issue of promoting diversity in the legal profession by authoring and publishing articles in the hopes it will challenge and empower our colleagues to also make similar strides.

Diversity: A Primer for Young Lawyers, Denis P. Riva and Rebecca S. Herbig, For the Defense, expected publication date April 2010
Diversity Turns the Key for Success at Toyota, Sandra Giannone Ezell and Lawrence C. Mann, In-House Defense Quarterly, Winter 2010
Like It, Love It, Gotta Have It -- Kahala's Customized Approach to Diversity, Sandra Giannone Ezell and Michele B. Scarponi, In-House Defense Quarterly, Fall 2009
Family in the balance: Firms reduce obstacles, but having kids still affects lawyers' earnings, Andrea Moody, Crain’s Detroit feature article, May 2009
Invisible Diversity: What You Can't See Can Help You, Jill D. Jacobson, Diversity Executive's Newsletter, April 20, 2009
A Close-Up Look at Steelcase Inc.'s Commitment to Diversity, Sandra Giannone Ezell and Andrea L. Moody, In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring 2009
The Light is Shining on Capital One: In-House Counsel Spotlight on Diversity Initiatives, Sandra Giannone Ezell and Michele B. Scarponi, In-House Defense Quarterly, Winter 2009
The Pacifier Isn’t for the Client, Alana Bassin, New York Times feature article, May 2005

Visit our diversity law blog for women at www.courtroomdivas.com!

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