We understand that recruitment and hiring is only half of the picture. In order to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive law firm, real attention must also be paid to helping all firm attorneys and staff stay and succeed. Cozen O’Connor has instituted a number of practices and programs to promote career-long professional development.

Importantly, Cozen O’Connor recognizes the importance of ensuring that our leadership values inclusivity and fosters a sense of belonging. We know that having members with diverse backgrounds and experiences in decision-making roles is a critical way to ensure that all our attorneys and staff are heard and represented. In addition, we believe it is vital for newer lawyers to see attorneys with diverse backgrounds and experiences as members of the board of directors, Management Committee or Hiring Committee, and as chairs of practice groups or office managing partners because it demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity and helps them envision a real pathway toward success.

In terms of programming, Cozen O’Connor hosts a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit. Attorneys with diverse backgrounds and experiences from offices across the country are invited to gather along with firm managers and key clients. Research shows that the professional success of attorneys is highly dependent on their connecting with available resources and having a strong community. These summits enable attorneys with diverse backgrounds and experiences to develop sustaining peer networks, receive training on topics from client pitches to the promotion process, and allow them to provide direct feedback to firm management about Cozen O’Connor’s diversity and inclusion efforts. By engaging in this dialogue, attorneys with diverse backgrounds and experiences can share their wisdom and raise their profile.

Cozen O’Connor hosts speaker series, trainings, and panel discussions throughout the year that focus on raising awareness about diversity, equity and inclusion issues, including, for instance, analyses of inclusivity and belonging best practices in other peer firms and corporate America.

Finally, Cozen O’Connor works to foster an internal culture that recognizes inclusivity and belonging as being a mission for all of us. In our language and in our practices, the firm reinforces the fact that we all benefit from building a more just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce.