• Diversity Committee.  Our long-standing Diversity Committee brings together associates, counsel, and partners, and a designated liaison from our Management Committee in a concerted and focused effort to foster a diverse workplace.  The Diversity Committee works with our firm's leadership to retain and promote lawyers of diverse experiences and backgrounds, to encourage open dialogue on diversity issues, and to maintain an environment in which diversity of all types can flourish.  The Diversity Committee publishes a regular Diversity Update, highlighting the firm's commitment to promoting diversity within the firm, throughout the legal profession, and in the community.
     

Diversity Update Spring 2012

• Women's Forum.  The firm's Women's Forum provides women attorneys an opportunity to come together to discuss issues of common interest, including business and professional development, leadership and training opportunities, and mentoring.  The forum regularly conducts a wide range of programs, including training sessions, social gatherings, external receptions, public service projects, and other events aimed at benefiting and advancing the interests of women.
  
  
• Mentoring Program.  Informal mentoring relationships are a hallmark of our low associate-to-partner ratio.  In addition, during their first three years at the firm, associates in the Washington office are assigned a formal mentor to help guide and support their careers.  Formal and informal mentors of new women and minority associates focus particularly on helping them to launch their careers successfully at the firm by facilitating access to the resources and opportunities that are available.
  
  
• Professional Development.  Our director of professional development is responsible for ensuring a systematic and individualized approach to developing and enhancing the skills of associates in all of the firm's practice groups.  The director's mandate also includes a priority commitment to facilitate the success and advancement of women and minority lawyers within our associate ranks, in particular by working with them and practice group leaders to ensure that opportunities to develop and improve their legal skills are consistently made available and utilized.
  
  
• Associate Advisory Committee.  The Associate Advisory Committee provides a formally recognized forum for Covington associates to express their views and perspectives to the firm's management.  In addition to this committee, we have designated partners in each office who serve as ombudspersons to assist associates by providing confidential advice and tackling sensitive issues that may arise.  Neither of these resources, however, is meant to limit the ways in which associates interact with senior lawyers, either individually or collectively.  We maintain a strong and long-standing 'open door' policy of unfiltered communication among lawyers at all levels.
  
  
• Bar Associations and Community Groups.  Covington provides substantial financial support to bar associations and other groups focused on women, minority and LGBT issues.  Our lawyers also actively participate and assume leadership roles in these organizations.  A number of our attorneys have been active in local and national leadership committees of Lambda Legal, including Jean Veta’s service on the DC host committee and Bruce Deming’s service as national board member and current Co-Chair of the national board.  Haywood Gilliam is active in the California Minority Counsel Program, and is a member of the planning committee for CMCP’s annual business conference.  Tammy Albarran and Sarah Wilson are members of the Advisory Board of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (“WILEF”).  Deanna Kwong serves on the Board of Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (“APILO”), which provides legal services to the API community throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.  Stan Young serves on the Board of the Asian Law Alliance in San Jose.  Kerry Burke and Emily Henn have served on Leadership 35, an advisory committee of the National Women’s Law Center.