2014 Asian American Bar Association of New York Law Firm Diversity Award Nomination Form
AABANY’S Mission

The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian-American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, legal assistants or paralegals and law students. The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian-Americans in the legal profession.

Criteria

As AABANY continues to grow and develop a prominent role in the legal profession, it realizes that such growth and development would not have been possible without the support of many of the law firms who have donated countless hours to building a successful bar association that represents the interests of Asian Americans in New York State.  Beginning with our 2014 Fall Conference, AABANY will annually recognize one law firm member for its extraordinary efforts to improve the diversity of our profession with AABANY’s Law Firm Diversity Award.  

Nominees should be a law firm that achieved significant success in the area of recruiting and retention of women and diverse attorneys while also demonstrating a commitment to increase diversity outside its law firm. Criteria for selection include:

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity as evidenced by a formal diversity plan committed to retention and promotion of women and minorities;
• An established diversity pipeline of talent;
• External activities, such as active participation in minority bar associations like AABANY and diversity programs of mainstream bar associations like the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association, and New York County Lawyers Association; and
• Any other factors the selection committee may deem to be valuable in promoting AABANY’s mission.

Selection Committee

The 2014 Law Firm Diversity Award will be chosen by the AABANY Awards Committee.

Nomination

Nominees must submit the following nomination form by September 12, 2014. Please direct any inquiries to Program Associate Simone Nguyen.

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Law Firm Demographic Information
Firm Name
Managing Partner
Diversity Team or Affinity Group Leader (If Applicable)
Contact Email
In the event of additional questions or notifications regarding this nomination form, please provide the best email to contact you.
Total Number of Attorneys
Number of Minority Attorneys
Number of Female Attorneys
Total Number of Partners (Equity)
Number of Minority Partners (Equity)
Number of Female Partners (Equity)
Total Number of Non-Equity Partners
Please leave blank if not applicable.
Number of Minority Non-Equity Partners
Please leave blank if not applicable.
Number of Female Non-Equity Partners
Please leave blank if not applicable.
Do you have a formal diversity plan?
Clear selection
I. Diversity Program Structure
Please describe your diversity program structure.
What does it consist of? How is it managed? What are its requirements?
Who directs the program? What is their title?
Please describe the composition of the diversity committee, including any subcommittees.
What is the frequency of meetings and activities of the committee and/or subcommittees?
II. Diversity & Strategic Planning
Is diversity a part of your strategic plan in developing a pipeline, and recruiting, retaining, or promoting attorneys?
If so, please describe.
III. Serving Clients
Have clients encouraged or influenced your firm to increase diversity or to assign women and minority associates/partners to their legal matters?
If so, please also describe how your firm rates within your clients' legal departments and their surveys. How has this affected the design and implementation of your diversity program?
IV. Annual Objectives & Diversity Initiatives
Does your diversity plan have annual objectives?
If so, please describe.
Please check the box for any initiatives that your firm has already set in place.
Of the initiatives indicated above, please describe your firm's efforts and how effective each of these initiatives has been in fostering diversity and growth.
What new initiatives is your firm planning to undertake?
If any, please describe and indicate progress towards these goals.
V. Recruitment Strategy
Please check the box for any of your firm's recruitment strategies for targeting women and people of color.
Of the strategies indicated above, please describe your firm's efforts and how effective each of these strategies has been in fostering diversity and growth.
Please describe the number of new hires each year.
Please provide separate numbers for law students and for lateral hires.
Do minorities participate on your Hiring Committee or does a minority subcommittee exist therein that focuses on hiring women and minority attorneys?
VI. Promotions & Career Development
Please check the box to indicate your firm's current practices.
Of the practices indicated above, please describe your firm's efforts and how effective each of these practices has been in fostering growth and development.
How is diversity incorporated when considering promotions?
Do you provide workshops for women and minority attorneys to develop their skills?
If so, please describe.
How do you ensure that all attorneys are given consideration for cases that will yield exposure to major clients and/or give an attorney the opportunity to gain valuable managerial experience?
VII. Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise
Do you track dollars spent with minority and women-owned business enterprises?
If so, please provide a brief summary.
Do you require reports from your accounting department?
Clear selection
Do you attend minority supplier conferences to scout minority vendors or law firms?
If so, please describe.
Do you partner with minority-owned law firms or businesses?
If so, please describe.
VIII. Evaluation
What, if any, method of measurement do you use to evaluate your firm's diversity and inclusion efforts?
Does management review the results?
IX. Results
Do you tie diversity results to compensation?
If so, please describe the process.
What is the result, if any, for non-attainment of established diversity goals?
X. Challenges
Please check the box to indicate what you see as the main challenges to the success of your diversity program.
Select all that apply.
Of the above indicated items, please elaborate the unique circumstances of each particular challenge.
Are there countermeasures to address issues specific to resistance to such a program or to women/minority attorneys in general?
If so, please describe.
XI. Other
Optional: Are there any additional considerations for your firm that AABANY's Selection Committee should take into account?
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