Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Our Commitment
Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values at Saul Ewing. We are committed to fostering a culture where each attorney and business professional feels comfortable being their true self and focusing on what really matters – serving our clients. We recognize that embracing diverse perspectives, providing fair and equitable opportunities, and offering firmwide, ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion training enriches the quality of the legal services we provide to our clients.
At Saul Ewing, we strive to build a diverse community of firm members through our recruitment practices, and we are dedicated to inclusion and equity to retain this diverse community. Our firm is a proud participant in the Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule 8.0 and is a 2024 Mansfield Certified Plus firm.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee
Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee oversees the creation and implementation of strategic planning, policies, and programming to advance the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. The DEI Committee is composed of firm leaders, senior partners throughout our footprint and members of our talent team.
We provide forums for exploring, learning from, and championing the perspectives and experiences of firm members through PRIDE@Saul, Attorneys of Color Elevating at Saul, Supporting Women in Advancement, Growth & Results (SWAGR), and the Working Parents Resource Group.
Every member of the firm is a vital part of the organization, and infusing the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do is essential to our continued success in providing outstanding representation to our clients.
Strategic Partnerships
The firm maintains strategic partnerships with organizations that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal industry. We encourage the participation of our lawyers on DEI panels at law schools, national and local minority bar associations, and conferences. Many of our attorneys have represented the firm in local and regional roundtables, and continue to be at the forefront of the rapidly evolving intersections of DEI and the law.
By way of example, the firm is actively engaged with the following organizations:
- The Diversity and Flexibility Alliance (DFA)
- The Leadership Counsel on Legal Diversity (LCLD)
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA)
- Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC)
- Stakeholders Charting Your Own Course (CYOC)
- Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance
- Twin Cities Diversity in Practice (TCDIP)
- Pittsburgh Legal & Diversity Coalition
Recruitment
We pride ourselves on intentionally taking steps to consistently hire law students from a wide variety of backgrounds for our summer program, and consider diverse pools of lateral attorneys. The firm engages numerous resources to ensure that we are attracting diverse candidates to all open positions, including participating in many diversity-focused scholarship program and job fairs.
In addition, Saul Ewing uses diversity-focused executive recruiting and search firms to identify diverse lateral attorney candidates.
Retention
At Saul Ewing, we recognize that recruitment of diverse attorneys is not enough. We know that inclusion reaps the rewards of diversity, and equity ensures that each person at the firm has access to the same opportunities. We endeavor to integrate new members into the firm, along with removing barriers, so that historically underrepresented groups have equitable access to opportunities.
We have infused the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into every aspect of our professional development initiatives. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager is part of the firm’s Professional Development and Talent teams, to ensure that DEI principles are embedded in every aspect of our firm’s talent systems. Recognizing that our most significant resource is our human capital, we mentor attorneys through our Partner and Associate Mentor Programs. Additionally, our Resource Groups provide networking, professional development, and mentoring opportunities.
Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
We provide ongoing and consistent firmwide diversity, equity, and inclusion training in an effort to ensure that all members of the firm have the same baseline of knowledge, treat each other with respect, and have the tools and proficiency necessary to drive forward our DEI goals.
One way we accomplish this is through the DEI training our DEI Committee sponsors for all firm members. This annual DEI training has evolved into one of the firm’s largest and best-attended internal trainings. This session brings together firm leadership, partners, associates and business professionals to discuss DEI as it relates to daily life at the firm, professional development and our clients’ needs. Topics covered in past trainings include unconscious bias, sponsorship, generational diversity, cultural competency, and the business imperative for diversity.
Contact
Julicia James
Diversity Equity and Inclusion Manager
julicia.james@saul.com