GIBSON DUNN DIVERSITY VISION STATEMENT

MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT

Gibson Dunn understands that visible and active leadership is essential to the success of our diversity initiatives.  In an increasingly global world, it is crucial that we incorporate diverse competencies, experiences and viewpoints into our workforce.  We are proud of our diverse partnership and look forward to developing a new and diverse generation of attorneys who will continue the long tradition of quality and excellence for which Gibson Dunn is known.  

DIVERSITY AT GIBSON DUNN

To manage our diversity efforts, Gibson Dunn maintains a two-tiered diversity committee system.  The Global Diversity Committee oversees the firm's strategic efforts.  Membership on the global committee includes Executive and Management committee members, partner chairs from each local office, partners representing the various affinity groups as well as the heads of the professional development, recruiting and diversity departments.

In addition to the Global Diversity Committee, there are local diversity committees in each of our domestic offices and several of our overseas offices.  Our local office committees are open to all attorneys who are interested in the issue of diversity.

The diversity committees are essential to our diversity efforts.  They are actively involved in our recruiting efforts for summer and lateral associate candidates.  They also serve as an important resource for our attorneys by providing our diverse and non-diverse attorneys alike a forum for addressing a wide range of issues involving diversity and work-life balance at the firm.

RECRUITING

Gibson Dunn believes that diversity among our attorneys is essential to our continued success as one of the leading law firms in the world.  We constantly measure our progress in recruiting and retaining a high percentage of diverse lawyers to ensure that we have a truly integrated workplace.  Through targeted recruiting we have made significant gains in hiring diverse attorneys on both the associate and partner level.  

At law schools across the country, the firm encourages diverse law students to pursue a career at Gibson Dunn.  The firm provides hiring opportunities to students with a commitment to diversity through our 1L hiring program.  During the fall and spring, we hold on-campus events for law students and recruits.  We also provide annual financial support and mentoring to diverse law student groups through a variety of programs.

Gibson Dunn understands that choosing a firm can be a difficult decision, and it is important to many law students that the firm they choose supports diversity.  Some may have questions that specifically pertain to what it is like to be a diverse attorney at the firm, and all Gibson Dunn summer associates are given a chance to learn more about the firm’s diversity efforts.  Each local diversity committee host events for summer associates to answer diversity-related questions, and our diverse summer associates are given ample opportunities to learn more about the experiences of diverse lawyers at Gibson Dunn.

For more information about Gibson Dunn’s recruiting program, please click here. 

GIBSON DUNN ATTORNEY EXPERIENCE

Gibson Dunn's diversity efforts are not focused solely on recruitment.  We are also committed to the retention and promotion of our diverse attorneys. 

Gibson Dunn’s Professional Development department oversees and coordinates the firm's associate integration, mentoring, training and career development practices.  The department’s central goal is to ensure that our attorneys are amply supported throughout their careers.  The close coordination of our professional development and diversity efforts lends invaluable support to our diverse attorneys.  The two departments work together on many joint initiatives such as: 1) providing comprehensive and frequent communications to associates about different firm policies; 2) helping new and lateral associates better integrate into the firm; and 3) providing innovative client development programs.  The firm also has formal mentoring efforts in each office.  For more information about our professional development programs, please click here.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Gibson Dunn attorneys are active in the communities in which they practice.  The firm supports a wide range of community groups.  Gibson Dunn has joined forces with other firms, organizations and clients to further diversity initiatives.

• Gibson Dunn is a 2012 national sponsor of Lambda Legal and the National Association of Women Lawyers.
• Gibson Dunn's Orange County office was instrumental in the formation of the Orange County Lavender Bar association and continues to support the organization.
• The firm is a signatory to the New York City Bar Association's Statement of Diversity Principles and the Los Angeles County Bar Association/Women Lawyers in Los Angeles Call to Action.

Gibson Dunn is a member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. 

ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT INCLUDE: 

• A Better Chance
• Asia Society
• California Minority Counsel Program
• Committee of 100
• DirectWomen Board Institute
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
• Lambda Legal
• Legal Outreach
• Mexican American Bar Foundation
• Minority Corporate Counsel Association
• Mount St. Mary's Pre-Law Scholarship
• National Association of Women Lawyers
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• National LGBT Bar Association
• Prep for Prep
• Trevor Project
• Williams Institute
• Women in Law Empowerment Forum

PROPOSTION 8

Gibson Dunn represents the plaintiffs in Perry v. Brown, the first federal constitutional challenge to Proposition 8, California’s ban on gay marriage.  After a three-week trial in San Francisco, the court held that California’s law is unconstitutional under both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses.  The Ninth Circuit upheld the district court’s decision.

Gibson Dunn’s Ted Olson spearheaded the firm’s efforts on this important civil rights case.  As a result of his work, Ted was named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

PRO BONO

 Gibson Dunn is committed to improving the communities in which we work.  Every year Gibson Dunn donates significant attorney time to pro bono work.  Our attorneys are encouraged to participate in a wide range of matters; many of which benefit diverse communities.  For more information about our pro bono efforts, please click here. For  more information about our pro bono efforts, please click here.

HONORS

• Ranked on Multicultural Law Magazine’s top 50 firms for diversity.
• Top score for LGBT policies on the Human Right Campaign's Corporate Index.
• Women in Law Empowerment Forum Gold Standard Certification
• Georgetown University Outlaw’s Ally Award for work on LGBT issues.
• Recognition for contributions in the area of diversity and inclusion from organizations such as the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the National LGBT Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the National Law Journal, among others.

WOMEN AT GIBSON DUNN

Our women partners have led the firm’s efforts to diversify our attorney ranks.  They have addressed a wide range of issues involving gender, professional development and work-life balance.

Women play a major role in the firm's leadership; two sit on the executive committee, one serves on the management committee, 18 lead practice groups, three are heads of an office and two chair firm-wide committees.  Gibson Dunn’s 2012 partnership class included four women.

Women’s Initiatives – In addition to the firm’s professional development and mentoring programs, the women leaders of the firm have been active in nurturing our junior women attorneys.  Their efforts include hosting in-house monthly lunches for women associates, sponsoring networking events with women general counsel and other women-focused client events, and participating in women’s leadership groups.

Work-life Balance – The firm has several policies to help attorneys achieve work-life balance including Flex-Time, Parental Leaves, and reason-blind leaves of absence.  The firm has a Gender/Work-Life Balance subcommittee, a part of the Global Diversity Committee.  The Professional Development and Diversity departments focus on several women-specific initiatives.

In the Community – Every year the firm donates thousands of attorney hours and dollars to several different women and diversity focused organizations.  Organizations we have supported in recent years include:

• Association of Black Women Lawyers
• Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles, Inc.
• Mount St. Mary's Pre-Law Scholarship
• Colorado Women's Bar Association
• National Association of Women Lawyers
• DirectWomen Board Institute
• Women in Law Empowerment Forum
• International Women's Media Foundation   

Honors – Gibson Dunn women have been recognized for their leadership and talent by numerous publications and organizations.

• Debra Wong Yang is on the board of directors of the Committee of 100, an organization that brings a Chinese-American perspective to international relations.  She was the first Asian-American woman to serve as a U.S. Attorney.
• The Hollywood Reporter named Ruth Fisher to its annual list of Power Lawyers spotlighting the 100 most influential attorneys in the entertainment business.
• The San Francisco Business Times named Mary Murphy to its annual list of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.
• The Dallas Business Journal named Veronica Lewis to its Top 25 Women in Business in North Texas.
• The Daily Journal named Margie Lewis, Ashlie Beringer, Cathy Conway, Ruth Fisher, Kay Kochenderfer and Debra Wong Yang to its list of Top Women Lawyers in California.
• The Daily Journal named Amy Forbes and Mary Murphy to its list of Land Use Leaders.
• The Los Angeles Business Journal named Linda Curtis to its annual list of Who’s Who in Law, which recognizes 40 of Los Angeles’ top corporate attorneys.
• The Recorder named Mary Murphy Attorney of the Year and Theane Evangelis Kapur to its list of Lawyers on the Fast Track.
• The American Lawyer featured Lois Herzeca as one of its Dealmakers of the Year 2012.