Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) are core firm values that have been embraced by our firm’s leadership – for decades. With the evolution of workplace DEI into a strategic organizational and leadership imperative, Jackson Lewis continues to evolve and to refine our efforts.

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    Four Pillars

    Every action we are taking to realize our DEI core values connects to one or more of our four defined DEI pillars – our colleagues, our culture, our clients, and/or our communities.

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    Colleagues

    Efforts that are focused on identifying, supporting, and including Jackson Lewis employees across role, tenure, identity and location.

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    Culture

    Efforts that seek to define or expand Jackson Lewis’ culture of respect, fairness, access, learning, innovation, transparency, inclusion, and excellence.

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    Clients

    Efforts that address the needs of our clients and potential clients—organizations of varied size, sophistication, and industry—with a keen focus on providing best in-class client service.

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    Communities

    Efforts that respond to the myriad of external communities that Jackson Lewis serves, whether relating to the legal industry, business focused, affinity/identity-serving or location centered. 

    Diversity and Inclusion is a never-ending journey; an area where our practices will continue to grow and evolve without ever reaching a resting place, because we all benefit. To ensure progress, we challenge every person at Jackson Lewis to be intentional about DEI. When everyone is engaged in moving the needle forward, we are succeeding.

    Kevin G. Lauri

    Firm Chair

    Leadership Team

    To realize the impact and myriad of benefits that a diverse and inclusive work environment brings, the firm has leadership at the firm’s highest levels to ensure that our commitment to a culture of respect, belonging and inclusivity remains central to firm function, our people, and our work.

    Kevin Lauri headshot
    Kevin G. Lauri
    Firm Chair, New York City
    212-545-4047
    Samantha Hoffman headshot
    Samantha N. Hoffman
    (She/Her)
    Firm Managing Principal, Orange County
    949-885-1360
    Kimya Johnson headshot
    Kimya S.P. Johnson
    (Keem-yah • She/Her)
    Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and Principal, Philadelphia
    267-319-7832
    Samia Kirmani headshot
    Samia M. Kirmani
    Principal, Boston
    617-367-0025

    Attorney Resource Groups

    Attorneys at Jackson Lewis, regardless of identity or background, can join and participate in any ARG, and we are always exploring opportunities to create additional ARGs.

    We are proud to offer ten Attorney Resource Groups (ARGs) and one all-employee support group. These groups provide opportunities to share lived experiences, create mentoring relationships, enhance business and client development networks, and develop programming across all firm offices. 

    1. Asian American Attorney Resource Group
    2. Black Attorney Resource Group
    3. Disability/Neurodiversity Attorney Resource Group
    4. Hispanic Attorney Resource Group
    5. Jewish Support Group (JSG)
    6. Middle Eastern & North African (MENA)
    7. Out Professionals & Allies in Law (OPAL)
    8. Practicing & Parenting (P&P)
    9. Veterans Attorney Resource Group
    10. Women’s Interest Network (WIN)
    Meet our ARG Leadership Team

    Honors & Accolades

    Law360
    No.2
    Glass Ceiling Report (2022; women attorneys in equity partnerships)
    Minority Corporate Counsel Association
    96%
    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scorecard (2022; based on similarly sized firms)
    The National Law Journal
    #18
    The NLJ 500 Women in Law Scorecard (2023)
    Law360
    #27
    Diversity Snapshot report (percentage of minority attorneys)
    American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity
    AAAED
    President’s Award Honoree (2022; leadership in and commitment to DEI)

    Memberships & Sponsorships

    Jackson Lewis is proud to collaborate with leading industry partners seeking to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession.

    National memberships, sponsorships, and partnerships include:

    • Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals
    • California Minority Counsel Program
    • CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
    • Charting Your Own Course
    • Corporate Counsel Women of Color
    • Diversity & Flexibility Alliance
    • Hispanic National Bar Association
    • Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession
    • Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance
    • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
    • Minority Corporate Counsel Association
    • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association 
    • National Association of Law Placement
    • National Association of Women Lawyers
    • National Bar Association
    • National Employment Law Council
    • National LGBTQ+ Bar Association
    • Seramount (formerly Diversity Best Practices)
    • South Asian Bar Association of North America
    • Texas Minority Counsel Program

    Diversity, equity and inclusion benefits all of us. Our comprehensive strategy focuses on how we can engage across the firm, across role, across identity, and across experience . . . because all of us are needed.

    Kimya S.P. Johnson

    Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

    Strategic Action Plan

    Our DEI Strategic Action Plan articulates and identifies steps to continually cultivate and maintain a welcoming and inclusive firmwide community where individual differences are embraced, supported, respected and valued.

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    Additional DEI Program Highlights

    Expanded Data Collection and DEI Reporting Transparency

    We expanded our DEI data collection efforts – voluntary self-identification portals – in our HRIS system to better allow us to track and to include more varied identities. We also revamped our demographic data disclosures, expanded our identity categories, and broadened our reporting processes to provide fuller reporting to clients and industry surveys seeking demographic data. We did so in an effort to promote greater data accuracy and to expand ways for people to share their identities (and be seen how they are).

    “Triple P” Inclusivity Campaign

    Jackson Lewis launched an initiative allowing all employees to add their pronouns, first and/or last name phonetic pronunciations, and/or a parenthetical name (common name) to their Outlook email signatures. Colloquially referred to as “Triple P,” this effort encouraged employees to display their authentic selves to further respect and inclusion among colleagues and clients.

    Firm DEI Training and Learning/Development

    Jackson Lewis remains committed to fostering continuous training, learning and development as it pertains to our DEI values and focus on inclusive leadership. We are developing specific training programs aimed at leaders to enhance their cultural competency and reduce/eliminate barriers to equity and inclusion.

    Mentorship

    The firm’s formal mentoring program, RISE (Recruit, Integrate, Succeed, and Excel), works to ensure that all attorneys have equitable access to mentorship, development, and advancement opportunities throughout the arc of their legal career.

    Elevation Transparency

    Jackson Lewis revisited and committed to heightened transparency with respect to our partnership elevation criteria and work to ensure the criteria is readily accessible to all of our lawyers. The firm’s elevation criteria for promotion to principal attorney were expanded to provide for greater consideration for those working more flexible schedules or those who were on a leave. In addition to firmwide efforts, several of our ARGs host annual seminars for their members and mentor them further through the elevation process.