DIVERSITY QUARTERLY 3RD QUARTER 2013 edwardswildman.com diversity.edwardswildman.com SPOTLIGHT - PATHWAYS TO LAW PLACEMENT PROGRAMME London April saw us hosting four 16-18 year old students for a week- of the legal landscape and the tips and guidance they need long structured work placement as part of the Pathways to Law to navigate attaining a career in the legal world. It also programme which the London office has now been supporting includes raising their aspiration toward applying to the best for two years. The programme included sessions on Effective universities. Part of the programme is quality work experience Business Writing with partner Chris Finney and associate continued on page 6 Kimberley Cottrell, a Q & A session with London Managing Partner Nick Bolter and a litigation case study with associates Ellen Hughes-Jones and Sascha Grimm. All the London trainees also provided daily sessions on their practice areas and set the group challenging tasks to complete. On their final day they gave impressive presentations on contentious topics of their choosing to a panel of associates; Charlotte Bunn, Ajita Shah, Mitain Patel and Sarah Warnes. All assembled agreed, they couldn’t have imagined coping with doing something like this when they were the students’ ages! From these sessions the students got a taste of legal work and built their confidence toward achieving their chosen legal career. The four students in question, Courtnee Dixon, Linda Ali, Imran Zaidi and Iqra Ali are all attending London Comprehensive Schools and come from backgrounds where they will be the first in their family to attend University. The Pathways to Law Programme coaches them through the two Pictured back row: Naseer Chia, Joel Marris, Sarah Warnes, Will years of schooling they have prior to attending University. Haig, Imran Zaidi; Front row: Courtnee Dixon, Linda Ali, Iqra Ali, The programme aims to provide a thorough understanding Lianna Chan, Kate Parkinson-Cole IN THIS ISSUE DIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT 1 SPOTLIGHT - Pathways to Law Placement 3 Bilal Zaheer Selected for the Chicago Edwards Wildman is committed to a diverse, Programme Committee’s Inaugural ‘Rate My Pitch’ inclusive culture for our attorneys and staff. We 2 City Law for Ethnic Minorities Event Program believe every person in our firm deserves a fair, 2 Hartford Office Participates in Volunteer 4 Welcome New Lawyers merit-based opportunity for advancement and Day at Homeless Shelter 4 Advancing Diversity: Where We’ve professional excellence. We also understand 3 Sarah Camougis Selected as One of the Been and Where We’ll Be that the development and retention of a diverse ‘Top Women of Law’ 5 Edwards Wildman Launches New workforce strengthens our global business 3 Edwards Wildman Named a Leading Law Office in Istanbul, Turkey capabilities and leads to the best solution for Firm for LGBT Workplace Equality 5 The Butler our clients. We accomplish this by providing a 3 Anne-Marie Slaughter Comes to NJ 5 The Gender Divide in supportive and welcoming environment. 3 Edwards Wildman Partners Attend HNBA Communications DIVERSITY NEWS - 3RD QUARTER 2013 City Law for Ethnic Minorities Event In June the London office was involved with ‘City Law for Ethnic Minorities”. This is the fourth year running we have supported this event which is run over 2 days and sees around 200 students from Universities all over the UK attending. The programme includes a number of skills and information gathering sessions aimed at giving the attendees a greater insight into the legal profession and some of the tools and techniques needed to successfully achieve this aspiration. Sarah Warnes hosted a session on the first day where she got the students to think about the application and interview process and how they can make themselves stand out from the crowd. She was then joined by associate Prina Patel and Some of the direct comments received post-event included: trainees Nicole Gow and Kate Parkinson-Cole for a ‘who’s who’ “I never considered commercial law before, but now I am and networking session to conclude the first day. seriously considering it” On the second day, a group of 28 students attended “I am now more motivated and know exactly what I need to do” Edwards Wildman’s London office for a networking breakfast followed by a presentation skills session which was led by “I’ve become more motivated to apply now, I was very sceptical about ethnic minorities having a real chance, but Naseer Chia, Ajita Shah, Sascha Grimm, Chimé Dorjee and I’m sure I will definitely give it a crack” Sarah Warnes. It was a lively session enjoyed by all with “I found the atmosphere a lot friendlier than I thought would be” plenty of coaching and tips given out by the Edwards Wildman associates and trainees. “Yes I never thought that the firms will be so open and friendly” Post-event feedback has been extremely encouraging. The students were asked about whether attending the event changed “As long as you are motivated and work hard a career at a their perceptions of law careers and if so, how? Key themes City law firm is attainable” emerging in responses included: “It seems a lot more accessible and the goal of becoming a City solicitor has become so much more achievable” The culture within the sector is more diverse than expected Thanks should also go to the following people involved in the Students (both law and non-law) left with a better event, not already mentioned above: Will Haig, Riecha Sharma, understanding of how transferable their skills were Mitain Patel, Richard Hopley, Mark Everiss, Antonio Suarez- Being a City lawyer is both accessible and obtainable Martinez, Helen Clark and Niall McAlister. Hartford Office Participates in the PLUS Foundation Volunteer’s Day at Homeless Shelter On September 13, seven attorneys from Edwards Wildman’s Photo: Chuck Welsh; Josh Hartford office participated in the PLUS Foundation’s Volunteer Broudy; David Day at South Park Inn, a homeless shelter located in Hartford. Bogan, Tara Trifon, The firm became involved through Josh Broudy, counsel in Geoff Rosenblat; Aubrey Blatchley; Edwards Wildman’s Insurance and Reinsurance Department, and A.J. Kritzman and a member in PLUS (Professional Liability Underwriting Society) and the local Hartford chapter. The PLUS Foundation is a separate nonprofit organization that serves the membership of PLUS. The foundation identifies, initiates, and sponsors a variety of charitable programs that give companies and been a member of the board of directors of South Park Inn for individuals the opportunity to make a difference. As part of the over 20 years. PLUS Foundation’s 2013 Chapter Charity program, the Hartford The Edwards Wildman team joined volunteers from PLUS Chapter selected the South Park Inn to donate its time and OneBeacon, Allied World, and Travelers, among other local services. The mission of the South Park Inn is to assist homeless insurance companies, spending the day cleaning and painting people improve their life situation by providing temporary and the shelter’s main living quarters, four different bathrooms, and long-term housing and supportive services. Ted Augustinos, a various stairwells; stripping and re-waxing floors; and dusting partner in the firm’s Insurance and Reinsurance Department, has and cleaning baseboard radiators and piping. 2 Sarah Camougis Selected as Edwards Wildman Partners One of the ‘Top Women of attend Hispanic National Bar Law’ in 2013 by Massachusetts Association Event Pictured below: Paulette Lawyers Weekly Brown and Miguel Pozo Sarah Camougis (Boston), a partner in (President of Hispanic the Business Law Department and Private National Bar Association (“HNBA”). Equity & Venture Capital Group, as well as a co-chair of the firm’s Communications and Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice Groups, has been named to Pictured above from left: Jose Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s 2013 “Top Sierra (Fish & Richardson), Rafael Women of Law” list. This award recognizes Perez, Willy Ferrer (US Attorney women who have made great professional strides and for Southern District of Florida) and Carlos Ortiz. demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in private practice, the corporate arena, and social advocacy. The 2013 honorees Ray Perez, Carlos Ortiz and Paulette Brown, partners from the will be fêted at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on October 31. firm’s New Jersey office attended the 38th Annual National Hispanic Bar Association Conference held in September in Denver, Colorado. They were on hand to help celebrate and Edwards Wildman Named a support the association’s incoming president, friend, colleague Leading Law Firm for LGBT and fellow New Jersey lawyer, Miguel Alexander Pozo. Workplace Equality For the second consecutive year, Edwards Wildman has been Bilal Zaheer Selected for the recognized as one of the top Illinois law firms in fostering workplace equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Chicago Committee’s Inaugural (LGBT) lawyers and support staff by Equality Illinois. The ranking ‘Rate My Pitch’ Program is based on results from the Equality Illinois 2013 Law Firm Survey, which gathers information about the firm’s policies on Bilal Zaheer (Chicago) has been selected for LGBT inclusiveness and equality. Equality Illinois is dedicated the Chicago Committee’s inaugural “Rate My to securing, protecting and defending equal rights for lesbian, Pitch” program. The pilot program is a three- gay, bisexual and transgender people in Illinois. evening series that will provide instruction and