The Diversity Imperative
We have long understood that our future as a top law firm depends on developing world-class attorneys with a wide range of perspectives. We therefore regard it as imperative that we maintain an environment where people from diverse backgrounds can flourish, both as lawyers and as individuals.
Accordingly, we cast the widest possible net to attract such people, and we make a serious investment in their long-term development. We do this proactively, operating the entire firm in an inclusive manner that represents the full range of human differences.
At Kramer Levin, no career will be limited in any way by race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, nationality, age, disability, or marital and parental status.
To assure this, our attorneys receive mandatory diversity training every year. We are a signatory to the New York City Bar’s “Statement of Diversity Principles,” which expresses our commitment to facilitating diversity in the hiring, retention and promotion of attorneys. And we support a number of legal organizations aimed at increasing diversity, including AALDEF, AABANY, Asian American Law Fund, KALAGNY, LeGal, Lambda Legal and the New York City Bar.
Our diversity program been recognized by many of the organizations that monitor such efforts, including Multicultural Law Magazine, Vault, The Empire State Pride Agenda, and Corporate Equality Index.
The Diversity Committee
At the heart of our program is the Diversity Committee, a proactive body charged with promoting diversity within the firm, within the legal profession in general, and in society at large. The Committee—made up of partners, associates, and senior administrative staff—has a mandate to encourage free and open dialogue on diversity issues, and to oversee the recruitment, assimilation, and ongoing development of law students and laterals from minority backgrounds.