Minority Assoc. To Announce Diversity Winners

WASHINGTON ─ The Minority Corporate Counsel Association,Inc. (MCCA) will hold its 11th Annual Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference® on Nov. 10 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York. That evening, MCCA will also honor three top corporate legal departments and one law firm at its Northeast Region Diversity Dinner, also held at the Marriott.

During the Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference®, speakers from some of the nation’s leading legal departments and law firms will teach attendees how to create and promote diversity initiatives, as well as share tools for personal career advancement. The conference will also provide critical resources to employers to overcome challenges in creating a more diverse workforce. It will run 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and attendees can qualify for CLE credits.

The Northeast Region Diversity Dinner will begin with VIP and Employer of Choice Receptions at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m. MCCA’s co-hosts for the dinner are Deirdre Stanley, Executive VP and General Counsel of Thomson Reuters and Carol Robles-Roman, Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs, Counsel to the Mayor of New York City. At the dinner, MCCA will present Employer of Choice Awards to the legal departments of Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation, MetLife and Staples Inc. The three were chosen for demonstrating a commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace. Receiving the award for Boehringer Ingelheim will be Marla Persky, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary. Accepting for MetLife will be Nick Latrenta, General Counsel. And Kristin Campbell, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, will accept for Staples Inc.

The law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP will be honored with the Thomas L. Sager Award, named for MCCA board member and DuPont Company Senior Vice President and General Counsel Thomas L. Sager. This award is given to law firms that demonstrate sustained commitment to improving the hiring, retention and promotion of minority attorneys. Ms. Jinsoo H. Kim, Partner and member of the Diversity Committee, will receive the award on behalf of the firm.

Preceding the dinner at 4:00 p.m will be the MCCA Diversity Dialogue, a panel discussion of diversity best practices featuring the evening’s award winners. The Diversity Dialogue is part of a professional development series that gives attendees information about award-winning diversity initiatives in their local areas, as well as practical information they can take back to their companies or law firms.

The Minority Corporate Counsel Association advocates for the expanded hiring, promotion, and retention of minority attorneys in corporate legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA furthers its mission by publishing research on achieving diversity and best practices in the legal profession, honoring innovative diversity programs with its Employer of Choice and Thomas L. Sager awards, and assisting diverse law students through the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Gay and Lesbian Law Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Founded in 1997, MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has a Southeast regional office in Atlanta, Ga.