Bowman and Brooke LLP, announces its recognition by the DRI (the voice of the defense bar) as the winner of the Law Firm Diversity Award for 2008. This national honor concluded another year in the firm's ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. You can read the entire press release below.
Bowman and Brooke Announces Advanced Firm-wide Diversity for 2009
Defense Firm Celebrates 2008 DRI National Law Firm Diversity Award Setting Standard on Inclusiveness
Minneapolis, MN (January 13, 2009) -Bowman and Brooke LLP, a national law firm with a renowned civil trial practice history in a broad array of substantive areas, including product liability, commercial, consumer and intellectual property litigation, announced today its recognition by the DRI (the voice of the defense bar) as the winner of the Law Firm Diversity Award for 2008. This national honor concluded another year in the firm's ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.
The firm's "blueprint" for diversity has achieved a firm-wide diversity of nearly 20 percent in 2009, one of the highest of any law firm of its kind in the nation. Additionally, 37 percent of the firm's attorneys are women and more than one-third of its trial teams in the past year included women attorneys.
DRI, which includes thousands of defense attorneys across America, cited Bowman and Brooke's commitment to diversity, not only through the firm's policies and practices, but also by the many civic contributions of its nearly 140 attorneys.
"Bowman and Brooke from inception has enjoyed a strong commitment to diversity and our success as a law firm has been driven by the diverse nature of the community within our firm. We are a positive example of the 'business case' for policies of inclusiveness," said Firm Chair David Graves, Jr. "We believe that inclusiveness at all levels and respect for people, regardless of station or title, allow us to view the world and our clients' problems from multiple vantage points. This depth and breadth of perspective is advantageous in a courtroom. The simple truth is that diversity in race, gender, religion, national origin, class background, education, sexual orientation, etc. enriches and empowers."
Over the past years, the firm has heightened its active participation and sponsorships with national organizations that advance diversity, such as the National Bar Association, American Bar Association's Women's Advocacy Group, as well as organizations where the firm has offices - Minneapolis, Phoenix, Detroit, San Jose, Los Angeles and Richmond.
The firm's success in advancing diversity may also be attributed to its efforts to draw support from the firm's partners and decision-makers. Nearly one-third of the firm's management committee are women and/or minority attorneys. Recent hires of entry level associates in Minneapolis and Los Angeles reflect the firm's continuing diversity efforts.
Bowman and Brooke has enjoyed past recognition for its success in diversity, including the 2005 DRI Law Firm Certificate of Merit for accomplishments in diversity, and the 2005 Diversity Award from the Hennepin County Bar Association. Additionally, the firm was ranked second by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine for the largest percentage of women and ethnic minority attorneys in 2005. Following these accomplishments, national newspapers and magazines have featured the firm's commitment to working mothers who try cases and who serve in key firm leadership positions.
Beginning as a leading defense firm for automotive product liability cases, Bowman and Brooke LLP has become a nationally recognized trial firm that defends household name clients in widely publicized catastrophic injury and wrongful death verdicts, and other complex litigation involving a variety of products including ATVs, motorcycles, marine engines, farm equipment, aviation products, asbestos, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, building materials, power tools, chemicals, industrial equipment and more.
Today, Bowman and Brooke provides a well-established array of complementary core practice groups to its national product liability defense practice, including patent and infringement litigation, nursing home litigation, construction litigation, consumer warranty litigation, as well as business and commercial litigation. The firm has offices in Minneapolis, Phoenix, Detroit, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Richmond.