|
SAN
FRANCISCO, January 6, 2009: Today, the Project for Attorney
Retention (PAR) launched the Diversity and Flexibility Connection
with key general counsels and law firm managing partners.
"There is a fundamental connection that has not been
made at our nation's law firms that PAR is now in a strategic
position to explore, and that is the connection between
work/life strategies and diversity objectives," said
Joan Williams, co-director of PAR. "We are very excited
and greatly appreciative to have twelve distinguished general
counsels participating in the Connection. Their involvement
is a testament to the benefits both law firms and clients
can gain from this broadened approach."
Although
research shows that diversity programs need to include a
work/life component in order to be successful, until now,
diversity and work/life programs have largely been treated
separately. "PAR is connecting carefully selected law
firm managing partners and general counsels who are in positions
to create real change," noted Williams. "This
high level group will have frank, moderated discussions
about how in-house and outside counsel can work together
in an approach that incorporates the most effective tactics
from both diversity and flexibility efforts."
PAR
has selected, based on their leadership and commitment to
diversity, the following general counsels to participate
in the Connection:
Dennis
J. Broderick, Senior Vice President, General Counsel &
Secretary, Macy's Inc.
Catherine
A. Lamboley, Senior Vice President, General Counsel &
Corporate Secretary (retired), Shell Oil Company
Thomas
A. Mars, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc.
Michele
Coleman Mayes, Senior Vice President & General Counsel,
Allstate Insurance Company
Teri
Plummer McClure, Senior Vice President of Legal Compliance
and Public Affairs, General Counsel & Secretary, United
Parcel Service
Roderick
A. Palmore, Executive Vice President, General Counsel &
Secretary, General Mills Inc.
James
Potter, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary,
Del Monte Foods Company
Thomas
L. Sager, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, DuPont
Company
Douglas
G. Scrivner, General Counsel, Secretary & Compliance
Officer, Accenture
Laura
Stein, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, The
Clorox Company
Leslie
M. Turner, General Counsel CCNA, The Coca-Cola Company
Danette
Wineberg, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary,
The Timberland Company
The
general counsels will invite twelve managing partners from
firms that have a demonstrated commitment to diversity and
work/life issues to participate in meetings. Topics to be
discussed at the meetings include shared objectives for
diversity, the role work/life issues play in diversity,
major issues that affect women's advancement, and how corporate
counsel and law firms can best work together to achieve
inclusion through flexible scheduling. After initial discussions,
the Connection will produce best practices and action steps
for law departments and law firms. PAR will also assist
with the establishment of metrics to measure the progress
that results from the initiative.
PAR's
Connection will complement the work of other influential
groups and initiatives that are working to increase diversity
and flexibility in law firms and to strengthen law firm/client
relationships, such as A Call to Action, the ABA Commission
on Women in the Profession, the Association of Corporate
Counsel's Value Challenge, the Minority Corporate Counsel
Association, and the National Association of Women Lawyers.
In consultation with these groups and building on their
work, the Connection will bring together diversity and flexibility
research and best practices that until now have been viewed
as distinct. In keeping with PAR's hallmark, the Connection
also will develop practical action steps and solutions for
law firms and their clients that will achieve inclusion
for all lawyers. PAR will release a report of the Connection's
work and recommendations in the fall of 2009.
PAR,
a nonprofit organization that studies the advancement of
women lawyers and work/life issues for all lawyers, is headquartered
at UC Hastings College of the Law. Its co-directors are
Joan C. Williams, distinguished professor of law at Hastings,
and Cynthia Thomas Calvert, a former law firm litigation
partner. PAR is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
and other grantors, and by its law department and law firm
members. For more information, visit PAR's website at www.pardc.org.
#
# #
|
