At Ropes & Gray, diversity has long been an essential part of our firm identity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community of professionals of all races, religions, genders, sexual orientations and family structures. We see our individual differences as an asset that enhances the quality of life for each of us and strengthens what we can accomplish as a firm. We work hard to create a workplace that allows our lawyers, paralegals, technical advisors, and staff to transcend differences and value similarities to ensure we provide our clients with distinctive level of client service.
Ropes & Gray has consistently been recognized as being amongst the nation’s leading law firms in the area of diversity & inclusion. Ropes & Gray has earned the top rating of 100 percent since 2009 by the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. This top rating was achieved by Ropes & Gray based on the firm’snon-discrimination policies which focuses on making the firm a welcoming workplace for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
Illustrative of the firm’s commitment to diversity, Ropes & Gray covers the extra taxes that same-sex couples pay for domestic partner benefits. The firm, along with other leading businesses and law firms that offer this reimbursement policy, was recognized by The New York Times for this benefits practice.
Ropes & Gray was honored with the MCCA’s Thomas Sager award and recently the Strength in Diversity Award at Managing IP’s 2013 North American Awards in Washington, D.C. for the firm’s demonstrated commitment to diversity.
Other recent recognition includes “Top Five” rankings by Vault.com in its surveys of the 150 most prestigious law firms in the country in:
- #3 - “Diversity With Respect to LGBT”
- #2 - “Overall Diversity”
- #5 - “Diversity With Respect to Women”
- #2 - “Diversity With Respect to Minorities”
To learn more about the firm’s commitment to diversity, please take a look at our Diversity Annual Report.
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Bernard Guinyard accepts our Vault Diversity Awards at Vault Breakfast. |
Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee's mission is to cultivate a culturally rich and diverse community within the firm by providing support, education, and an open dialogue with firm management and staff on diversity-related issues. The Diversity Committee develops programs and events, addresses policy issues, and sets strategy to promote the recruitment, retention, and advancement of people from diverse backgrounds.
Affinity Groups/Forums
Our affinity groups serve as forums to help women, ethnic minorities, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender attorneys connect with one another in order to foster mentoring relationships, facilitate career development, and provide an open forum to share experiences. Ropes & Gray sponsors three affinity groups which are: the Women's Forum, the Attorneys of Color Group and the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/ Transgender Forum. TThe affinity groups foster a collegial and collaborative work environment that has long been,, and continues to be, a hallmark of our success as a firm. The affinity groups are very active within Ropes & Gray and host various educational programs, business and social networking opportunities, and career and professional development seminars.
The Women’s Forum
Ropes & Gray’s Women’s Forum works to promote the advancement and development of women lawyers. The Women’s Forum provides a formal structure for women lawyers to explore matters of common interest, to offer opportunities for mutual support and community, and to generally assist in professional development and progress at the firm. The Women’s Forum hosts professional programs designed to help women lawyers manage their careers andaugment their skills.
The Attorneys of Color (AOC) Group
The AOC Group was established to further the firm's commitment to diversity by fostering the inclusion and development of its attorneys of color. The AOC Group conducts quarterly meetings and holds special events that provide attorneys of color the opportunity to connect with each other, share experiences and establish mentoring relationships. The AOC group also hosts events featuring outside speakers on topics related to diversity in the legal profession and beyond.
To enhance professional development, the AOC Group sponsors the Full Circle Mentoring Program, which brings senior and junior attorneys together, and the AOC Leadership Program, which helps junior attorneys develop skills and strategies to facilitate their career development and satisfaction.
The Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Lawyers (LGBT) Forum
The LGBT Forum is active in welcoming LGBT attorneys to the firm and providing ongoing coordination and support regarding issues important to the LGBT community. The LGBT Forum sponsors events throughout the year, including a events and receptions that feature speakers on current legal topics important to the LGBT community.
LGBT Forum members also help to identify and coordinate firm-sponsored lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pro bono matters. Forum members have acted as co-counsel, representatives or amici in the Goodridge case (which gave same-sex couples the right to marry in Massachusetts), as well as in the New York marriage cases. Ropes & Gray also represented the Anti-Defamation League and a coalition of other religious organizations as amici opposing Section 3 of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act. One of these cases challenging Section 3 will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court during the 2012 – 2013 term.
Programs and Events
Women’s Forum Client Events
The Women’s Forum in hosts a variety of events designed to strengthen not only internal relationships, but also those with women in leadership positions outside of the firm. In March 2013, the New York office hosted its inaugural Women's Forum event on March 13th, with a networking reception for clients and friends of the firm. The theme of the reception was supporting and empowering female professionals.
Monnin-Browder Transgender Law Book Reception
Ropes & Gray honored Boston-based litigation associate and author Elizabeth Monnin-Browder with a breakfast reception to celebrate the publication of Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy which was co-authored and co-edited by Monnin- Browder. Transgender Family Law is the first book to comprehensively address the legal issues facing transgender people in the family law context and provides practitioners with tools for effective advocacy in this area.
Behind the Billables
The AOC Group’s quarterly “Behind the Billables” speaker series gives attorneys at the firm the opportunity to meet and learn more about partners and their practices. Speakers are invited to share stories about their paths to success, and the program is a useful tool for continuing the diversity dialogue and fostering professional relationships. Guest speakers have included Brad Malt, the firm’s chairman; John Montgomery, the firm’s former managing partner; Dennis Coleman,head of the sports law practice; and Colleen Conry, head of the firm’s Government Enforcement practice and co-chair of the Women’s Forum.
Pride in Diversity Event
The firm’s LGBT Forum hosts an annual Pride Month event with a reception featuring a Ropes & Gray Alum or client. This event provides an opportunity for the firm to celebrate Pride Month with guests and alumni. Speakers have included: Honorable Eleanor D. Acheson, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Amtrak and J.B. Kittredge, general counsel of Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co.
Women’s Forum Leadership Panel
The Women’s Forum hosts a dynamic panel discussion with women partners at the firm. During these discussions, panelists share how they came into their roles and established themselves as leaders. In addition to learning about partner’s and their paths to success,, attendees are given the opportunity to build leadership skills and learn how to implement strategies to further their careers..
The Women’s Forum Speaker Series: Marian Wright Edelman
The Women’s Forum hosted Marian Wright Edelman, the founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. A graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, Ms. Edelman began her career in the mid-60s. She was the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar Association and directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s office in Jackson, Mississippi. A tireless activist and relentless advocate, Ms. Edelman also has received the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, the Heinz Award, and a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship. Ms. Edelman gave a captivating presentation on her experiences with the Civil Rights Movement and her advocacy for children.
The Massachusetts Lesbian & Gay Bar Association (MLGBA) Law Students' Reception
Ropes & Gray sponsored and co-hosted with the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (MLGBA) Annual Law Students' Reception. This event featured guest speaker Carol Rose, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts. According to the MLGBA, this gathering accounted for the largest attendance at any of the law school receptions hosted by the organization.
Trent Hankins Award for Outstanding Contributions to Diversity
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Our beloved colleague Trent Hankins (Yale Law School '96) tragically
passed away in December 2002 at the age of 31. Among his innumerable
contributions to Ropes & Gray during his six years with the
firm, Trent was a tireless supporter of and contributor to the
firm's commitment to diversity, acting as a leader of the Attorneys
of Color Group and as one of Ropes & Gray's representatives
on the Boston Lawyers Group's Associate Advisory Committee.
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In his honor, the firm announced that the Trent Hankins Award for Outstanding Contributions to Diversity would be given to one or more of the firm’s lawyers for their outstanding contributions to the firm's diversity efforts. At the firm's awards ceremony on November 29, 2012, John Montgomery was presented with the award for his stewardship of the Diversity Committee.
Honorees have included:
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John Montgomery: for his leadership and commitment to promote diversity and encourage others to make it a priority. As policy committee liaison to the diversity committee, John has played an instrumental and active role in formulating policy and setting strategy to recruit, retain and advance the firms efforts. In addition, John has led by example, serving as a role model and mentor to so many at the firm, and inspiring other to do the same. |
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Rajib Chanda: for his leadership role in the firm’s candidates of color recruiting drive. Rajib has been the driving force behind the group’s effort to entice candidates of color to spend their 2L summer at Ropes & Gray. In addition, Rajib regularly attends career fairs to encourage students to interview with the firm, and he is very involved in planning year-round AOC events. |
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David Fine: for his role as a former chair of the Diversity Committee. While serving in this role, David helped the firm to take an honest look at its challenges and spearheaded new opportunities to build and retain a diverse workforce.
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Joan McPhee: for her leadership role in fostering a diverse workplace at Ropes & Gray as the former chair of the Diversity Committee. Under her tenure, the committee became much more proactive in efforts to improve recruitment of diverse personnel and retain these valuable talents once they were part of the firm.
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Roscoe Trimmier, Jr.: for his role in initiating and formalizing the firm’s diversity efforts. Roscoe joined Ropes & Gray in 1974 and quickly became a role model and mentor for the other diverse lawyers at the firm. Roscoe initiated the diversity dialogue and other efforts that continue today.
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Stuart Yothers: for his leadership role in the LGBT Forum. Stuart led efforts to raise the profile of the LGBT Forum by identifying educational opportunities and encouraging participation throughout the firm.
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Ropes & Gray Diversity Committee Members
Richard Batchelder- Diversity Committee Member
Albert F. Cacozza - Diversity Committee Co-Chair
Rajib Chanda - Diversity Committee Member
Dennis M. Coleman - Diversity Committee Member
Asheesh Goel - Diversity Committee Co-Chair
Jane D. Goldstein - Diversity Committee Member
Bernard Guinyard, Manager of Diversity
Gene W. Lee - Diversity Committee Co-Chair
Winifred I. Li - Diversity Committee Member
David M. Mandel - Diversity Committee Member
Richard Marshall - Diversity Committee Member
Greg Sheehan, Policy Committee Liaison
Diane Patrick - Diversity Committee Chair
Sasha Rao - Diversity Committee Co-Chair
Hugh Simons, Chief Operating Officer
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