Thelen LLP believes strongly in the value of diversity and is committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting attorneys who reflect the diversity of our society. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our workplace and improves the quality of the services we provide to our clients. We strive to create an inclusive environment where all of our attorneys can develop professionally and succeed in the practice of law.
Our Diversity Committee consists of partners, associates, and professional staff from each of the firm's offices. The committee is extremely active and influential in recruitment, professional training and development, retention and business development, as well as overall firm strategy and operations.
In 2006, Multicultural Law Magazine ranked us among the top 100 law firms for diversity, and among the top 25 law firms for Hispanic Americans. In addition, we scored within the top 30 percent of the Minority Law Journal's 2006 Diversity Scorecard, which tracks the percentage of minority attorneys at the 250 largest law firms in the United States. In 2005, we received the California Minority Counsel Program's Drucilla Stender Ramey Majority-Owned Law Firm Award in recognition of our commitment to diversity initiatives, community service, and development and promotion of women and minority attorneys.
We actively seek women; minority; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) law students during the recruitment process. The diversity of our incoming associates has ranged from 15 to 27 percent for minority associates and 44 to 70 percent for female associates over the last three years. We participate in minority student job fairs, such as regional and national Black Law Student Association job fairs, as well as the Bar Association of San Francisco's Bay Area Diversity Career Fair. In addition, we work closely with diversity recruiters to complement our recruitment efforts.
The firm is at the forefront of creating new career opportunities for minority attorneys. We cosponsor the annual New York City Area Summer Associate Diversity Reception, which honors ethnic minority, LGBT, and disabled summer associates. We are also signatories of the Bar Association of San Francisco's Diversity Programs and Model Policies and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Statement of Diversity Principles.
We value the importance of research in understanding the views of minority students. In 2001, we launched the Study of Minority Student Attitudes (SMSA), an independent research study focused on the perspectives of minority law school students. The study was conducted again in 2005, with updated survey questions designed to better capture the likely concerns of LGBT students. The SMSA will continue to be an important component in our recruitment efforts.
The firm also recognizes the unique contributions and insights women bring to the practice and business of law. Each of our offices hosts recurring Women's Forums to address the unique concerns of women attorneys and assist in their career and business development.
To learn more about all of our diversity efforts, please contact Deborah Broyles, National Chair of the Diversity Committee.
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