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Summer 2011
Welcome to the Summer 2011 issue of the Mintz
Levin Diversity Newsletter. In this issue we bring you insights from a
noted diversity expert, introduce the first recipient of the Herman Mintz
Diversity Scholarship, get to know litigation attorney Andowah Newton, and
provide news from recent Diversity Committee events.
In This Edition
A Discussion with Dr. Arin Reeves
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Arin Reeves, J.D., Ph.D., is the
president of Nextions LLC, a research and
consulting firm that focuses on diversity, inclusion, and leadership
development. Earlier this year, Dr. Reeves conducted several education
programs for Mintz Levin attorneys involved in the firm’s mentoring,
advising, and sponsorship and retention programs. Dr. Reeves spoke with
Yalonda Howze and Chip Phinney. The following is a summary of their
conversation.
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YH:
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Is there a model for diversity?
What does a truly diverse firm look like? Is it just about the numbers?
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AR:
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Measuring diversity by statistics is a remnant
of past affirmative action and equal employment opportunity programs.
The head count model is outmoded and can even be harmful. But people
hold on to it because it’s what they are used to. The firms that are on
the cutting edge are focusing more on inclusive behaviors, and less on
just the numbers.
Let me use weight loss as a metaphor. Getting on
the scale and seeing that you have lost weight from one day to the next
doesn’t really tell you whether the diet you are following is going to
be successful in the long run. There are plenty of weight loss methods
that are effective in the short term, but that don’t lead to long term
success. It’s better to focus on daily behaviors that have been proven effective
in yielding long term results, such as regular exercise and healthy
eating.
Similarly, in improving diversity, it’s
important to focus on the kinds of behavior that will support diversity
in the long run, and not just on the numbers. What are the behaviors
that will support diversity? Bias-free and effective interviews in
hiring. Equity in assignments to associates. Giving fair feedback.
Supportive mentoring. The companies that are making the most progress
in improving diversity are those that are focusing on improving these
kinds of “inputs,” and not just on “outputs.” Then the numbers improve
organically.
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Click here to read the rest of the interview,
continued at bottom.
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Meet Esther Chan, Mintz Levin Diversity Scholar
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The Herman Mintz Diversity
Scholarship was established in 2010 as part of the firm’s effort to make
our workplace and profession more diverse. We are privileged to introduce
this year’s recipient, Esther Chan.
Esther
joins our Boston office this summer as a first year student from Harvard
Law School, having completed her B.A. in French and Political Science at
Columbia
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University. Her favorite project thus
far has been conducting research for an amicus brief for a case to be heard
by the Supreme Court next term because, she says, it is exciting to know
that her work might influence such an important decision. As a part of her
role as the diversity scholar, Esther will be working with the Pro Bono
Committee in a program tailoring assignments to her particular interests.
Esther spent time in college working as an intern for public
and private organizations, where she saw firsthand how the law can
influence both the public and private sphere. That exposure informed her
decision to pursue a legal career. Part of what has motivated Esther to
succeed is the hard work of her parents. She is the first in her family to
attend both college and graduate school.
In addition to her scholarly pursuits, Esther is an active
member of Highrock Church in Arlington, Massachusetts, and serves as a
mentor to college students among the congregation. She also flexes her
muscles as a competitive player on a coed flag football team.
After this summer, her first in Boston, Esther will continue
to work with the firm throughout her second year of law school.
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Diversity Profile: Andowah Newton
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At Mintz Levin, Andowah Newton is
known for her exemplary work in the Litigation Section. However, those outside
the New York office may not realize the breadth of her talents and
experience.
Andowah’s
career prior to Mintz Levin includes clerking at the International
Criminal Court in The Hague for the First Vice-President, the Honorable
Judge Akua Kuenyehia.
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From there, she gained experience in
New York as an associate at a large international law firm, where she
worked on trademark, copyright, and breach of contract disputes. Andowah
also applied her dual degree in French law from the Sorbonne and her background
as a CPA while working on cases in the areas of international litigation
and arbitration, accountants’ liability, and securities law.
Her success with Mintz includes working on teams that won an
appeal from denial of coverage in a dispute with Anthem Blue Cross and that
secured asylum for clients from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who
were victims of persecution. Andowah represents a variety of companies and
individuals, including investment and asset management firms, and high
net-worth individuals.
Andowah uses her professional experience to encourage young
legal minds through the program Legal Outreach, in which she serves as a
mentor and coach to an urban high school student participating in
constitutional legal debates. She also knows what it’s like to be on the
learning side of the classroom, as she attends classes to keep up with her
Spanish speaking skills. As for hobbies outside of the legal and
educational realms, Andowah is a soprano in the New York Choral Society, a
prestigious ensemble that performs classical repertoire in Carnegie Hall
(for a listen, visit the Discography link on the group’s website, www.nychoral.org). She also
enjoys traveling abroad.
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Diversity Committee Events Update
New York Women’s Event
The Women’s Initiative of the
Mintz Levin Diversity Committee hosted an event for our women attorneys,
clients, and friends at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The evening
offered a unique opportunity to participate in a private educator-led
gallery tour, which was very well-received. Feedback was very positive,
with guests calling the event “delightful,” “a real privilege,” and “a very
memorable evening.”
Boston Women’s Event
The Women’s Initiative of the
Mintz Levin Diversity Committee sponsored an evening of art, networking,
and celebration at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston this past March. The
very well-attended event offered an opportunity to participate in a gallery
tour of the new Art of the Americas wing throughout the evening. We’ve
received fantastic feedback from the event, with our clients and friends
calling the evening “lovely” and “a terrific opportunity to meet other
professional women, learn about them, and renew relationships.” We were
told by several guests that the “opportunity to meet women from Mintz Levin
and other companies was fantastic” and that it “was by far the best
networking event in a very long time.”
D.C. Spring Social for Women Attorneys
Mintz Levin’s Diversity
Committee recently hosted a spring social for the D.C. office’s women
attorneys. The eighteen women attorneys, who included two women
members visiting from Boston, were treated to a guided “Lighter Wines for
Summer”-themed wine tasting by their sommelier (also a woman, by the
way) and a selection of Café Atlántico’s award-winning food.
West Coast Events
In addition to pursuing our active Women’s Initiative, our
West Coast offices have been busy with a number of events and sponsorships
this spring. Below is a list of some of the recent events we’ve
participated in on the West Coast:
Women of Color in Law Luncheon
Lawyers Club of San Diego – Champagne and
Chocolate Affair
ATHENA CFO Scorecard
ATHENA On-Board Series
Korean Bar Association – San Diego’s annual
Raise the Bamboo Ceiling Panel Discussion
ATHENA Pinnacle Awards Scholarship Dinner
Lawyers Club of San Diego Annual Dinner
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A Discussion with Dr. Arin Reeves (continued from
top)
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YH:
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In interviewing and recruiting,
most law firms tend to focus on who will fit into the existing firm
culture, who will fit the norm.
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AR:
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Yes, it’s important to look for people who think
outside the proverbial box, and who can contribute to transforming the
firm’s culture to make it more inclusive.
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CP:
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So it’s not just about changing
what the firm looks like, but how it thinks.
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AR:
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Yes, and also changing the destination. The goal
isn’t just increasing diversity, but building innovative excellence by
incorporating more points of view.
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CP:
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Many law firms believe they are
making sincere efforts to attract a more diverse range of attorneys,
yet find themselves making relatively little progress in this area.
What are they doing wrong, and what do they need to change? You’ve
already given us some answers to this question, but can you tell us
more?
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AR:
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Many law firms still have not really bought into
the idea that including diverse perspectives produces a better work
product. Law firm work tends to be very individualized. While there is
collaboration, it often involves combining the separate work products
of different lawyers, each working alone. Similarly, the incentives in
law firms are largely based upon individual outputs, such as hours
worked and revenue produced. That focus on individual work can tend to
blind firms to the benefits of an interactive and collaborative work
process that includes different points of view.
When people talk about the “business case” for
diversity, they often focus on the notion that a more diverse workforce
will satisfy the demands of clients or help attract more business. But
it’s really more than that. A more diverse workforce will help the firm
be smarter.
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YH:
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In one of your articles, you
observe that “our differences are only valuable once we connect on our similarities.”
Can you explain a little more about what you meant? What can law firms
do to be more effective in promoting connections between attorneys from
diverse backgrounds?
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AR:
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Diversity is relative. Nobody is born diverse.
Diversity simply means difference. Differences only matter when we have
a baseline of similarity. If we start out focusing only on differences,
we have no basis for connection. So we need to start out by focusing on
what we have in common. In a law firm, you can say, “We are all excellent
lawyers, committed to providing excellent client service.” Or you can
go further and include non-lawyers too, saying, “We are all excellent
professionals.” The goal is to forge a common professional identity
that includes everyone. It’s like a family reunion, where everyone
wears the same T-shirt. That unity encourages people to interact with
one another regardless of their differences.
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YH:
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Can you tell us about your own
career path?
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AR:
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While I have pursued a number of different
paths, I think I have always been fueled by the same passions. I became
interested in law because of the significant role it plays in
moderating our lives. I realized how much could be done through law to
effect change, and I wanted to pursue civil rights and social justice.
After law school, as I was practicing law, I
realized that there was a need to research the issues of race and
gender in our profession because we were not very diverse as a
profession. I also realized that I needed more tools to do the kind of
quantitative and qualitative research that would be useful. A mentor
suggested that I undertake graduate work in this area, which led me to
complete a Ph.D. in sociology at Northwestern. I did my dissertation on
race and gender as barriers to success in law firms.
While I was doing my doctorate, I was also
continuing to practice law, and I was frequently invited to speak on
race and gender issues. I founded The Athens Group, the predecessor
firm to Nextions, in 1999 to continue to focus on research in this
area.
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CP:
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Based on your experience, what
advice would you give to young lawyers who do not fall into the
traditional “in-group” in a law firm? You have written, “Shifting
identities is not about changing who you are. It is about changing
where you feel you fit in given who you are.” Can you explain that
observation and how it might apply in this context?
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AR:
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Associates start out with the understanding that
not all of them will become partners. But to get good work, they have
to project the image that they want to become partners. And in the
course of their work, they may discover that they are better suited to
do something else. So part of the task of being an associate is to
figure out who you want to be and where you fit in. Law firms can help
associates through that process by counseling them and helping them
think about what they want to do.
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YH:
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But why is that the law firm’s
problem?
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AR:
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Retention can be good and bad, and attrition can
be good and bad. Bad retention exists when associates don’t like what they
are doing but stay because they have no other choice. Good retention
exists when associates stay because they love the firm and the work.
Bad attrition occurs when associates leave because they can’t stand the
firm and have had a bad experience. Good attrition occurs when
associates conclude that there is something else that would be a better
fit for them, but they feel they have been supported by the firm. Then
they will go out and be ambassadors for the firm, and they may even
become clients. Supporting good retention and good attrition is good
for the firm, too.
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YH:
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But firms can’t always give
associates work in their chosen field, if there isn’t enough available
work. What happens then?
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AR:
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Law firms need to get better at counseling
associates and explaining the options. If there is more transparency
and communication, it will go a long way.
I want to stress that these are not new ideas
for your firm. From what I have seen, you have already planted the
seeds for the kinds of practices that we have been discussing, and it’s
just a question of continuing to nurture and support their growth.
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YH & CP:
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Thank you so much for your time.
You have certainly given us a lot to think about.
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AR:
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My pleasure.
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