diversity and inclusioninclusion at carlton fields · at the ptab, which studies gender diversity...

DIVERSITYDIVERSITY and and INCLUSIONINCLUSION at Carlton Fieldsat Carlton Fields

2 | Diversity and Inclusion at Carlton Fields

INSIDE

OverviewAppreciation of diversity is one of Carlton Fields’ core values and an integral part of the firm’s strategic plan. We promote and embrace diversity in all things, encouraging our attorneys and managers to prioritize the inclusion of diverse individuals in everything we do. This philosophy extends to recruiting, hiring, leadership appointments, case assignments, committee responsibilities, and the development of successors for leadership positions and client relationships. We believe that persons with diverse backgrounds enrich our work environment, add value to the legal services we provide, and enhance the overall culture of the firm.

When it comes to diversity, Carlton Fields has been a pioneer in many ways. Our firm founders recognized that a climate of diversity promotes more thoughtful communication, more purposeful collaboration, more varied perspectives, and more creative solutions as we address our clients’ problems and help identify opportunities.

2 Overview

4 Leading by Example

9 Furthering Diversity in Our Communities

10 Diversity Awards and Recognitions

12 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

14 Pipeline Initiatives

15 Celebrating Inclusion

16 Diversity Advocates in Our Community

18 Pro Bono Work Furthering Diversity

“We feel like the more diverse and inclusive we are, the more

we reflect our clients.” — Lori Baggett, Office Managing Shareholder, Tampa

Diversity and Inclusion at Carlton Fields | 3

360°

A 360-degree review process through which our attorneys and government consultants rank their practice group leaders on factors that include how well they promote diversity — their effectiveness

weighs into their compensation.

A review of the top 50 clients by revenue every six months to evaluate diversity of the client teams.

Networking, informal mentoring, and professional development

opportunities through the firm’s LGBT, Minority, and Women’s Business Resource Groups, which work to spur opportunities for these groups within the firm, the legal

profession, and the community.

Long before our clients expected it, and before diversity gained currency in the legal marketplace, we actively recruited, hired, and promoted men and women with different ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds, religious beliefs, orientations, and perspectives. Carlton Fields embraced the changing needs of its workforce, leading the way in offering alternative work schedules as far back as the 1960s and extending domestic partner benefits in 1999.

The firm’s commitment to advancing attorneys with diverse backgrounds has resulted in numerous women and minority attorneys serving in key leadership roles across the firm. Women and diverse attorneys have served as chair of our board of directors. Our chief executive officer and chief diversity officer, who are themselves diverse attorneys, work directly with team leaders to encourage diversification within team structures, including staffing client teams and key matters with diverse teams.

For more information about our diversity initiatives, contact Chief Diversity Officer Nancy Faggianelli at 813.229.4321 or [email protected].


ROBERT SIMPSON

Shareholder Hartford

Tampa Shareholder Laurel Lockett spearheaded a partnership with Equality Florida to create and distribute several editions of the Legal Handbook for LGBTQ Floridians and Their Families, a guide to assist LGBTQ citizens in understanding their rights concerning discrimination, adoption, parental rights, domestic partnership agreements, and estate planning before the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Hartford Shareholder Robert Simpson was named to Lawyers of Color’s 2019 “Nation’s Best” list in recognition of his leadership and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. He was recently a panel moderator at the 94th Annual Convention for the National Bar Association, the oldest and largest national network of predominantly African American attorneys and judges, for which he serves on the Executive Committee and previously served as chair of the Commercial Law Section. Rob is a long-standing member of the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association and the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association, which honored him with its highest award, the Trailblazer Award.

In August 2019, Rob was appointed to serve as a Leadership Development Coordinator for the ABA Section of Litigation. Rob is co-chair of the firm’s Mass Tort and Product Liability Practice.

Leading by Example

Tampa Shareholder Sylvia Walbolt was featured in an article about the first three women Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the most prestigious, invitation-only organizations of trial lawyers in the country. The first female lawyer hired at the firm after graduating at the top of her class in 1963, she is a past chair of the firm’s board of directors, and chairs the Appellate Practice and Trial Support Group.

https://www.eqfl.org/legalhandbook




https://www.sdpdigitals.com/ACTL/Journal_Fal20/pubData/source/ACTL_Fal20.pdf


JIN LIU Shareholder

Tampa

Carlton Fields President and CEO Gary Sasso and Chief Diversity Officer Nancy Faggianelli were featured in the ABA article “Nine Tips for Building a Diverse and Inclusive Law Firm” about embedding diversity and inclusion into the law firm workplace. Gary received the 2010 CEO Diversity Leadership Award from Diversity Best Practices, and co-chaired The Florida Bar’s Gender Diversity Task Force.

Tampa Shareholder Jin Liu was featured in the 2019 edition of Florida Super

Lawyers, in which she shares her story on becoming an attorney after

immigrating to the United States from China. After receiving her

undergraduate degree in law from Sichuan International Studies

University in Chongqing, Jin left her hometown of Liangping to pursue

her legal career and see the world. When she arrived in the United

States, she knew no one and had little occasion to speak English conversationally. Jin chairs the

firm’s Development Industry Group, and currently serves as a board member and founding

member of the Tampa Bay chapter of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Jin is also a past fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal

Diversity, and later served as historian and executive

council member of its alumni association.

Tampa Shareholder and Tax Practice Chair Cristin Keane was honored as the Gerald T. Hart Outstanding Tax Attorney of the Year by the Florida Bar. In May 2020, she was elected as a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, which comprises top tax professionals recognized for their extraordinary accomplishments and dedication to improving the practice of tax law.

https://bit.ly/3740onR

https://bit.ly/3740onR

AMY FURNESS Shareholder

Miami


Miami Office Co-Managing Shareholder Amy Furness was featured on the cover of the July 2019 issue of Florida Trend and in an in-depth article focusing on Amy’s legal career. In November 2019, she was elected vice president – sustaining of PLAC, formerly the Product Liability Advisory Council. In recognition of her strong record of leadership, performance, and innovation, as well as her dedication to her community, Amy was named one of South Florida Business Journal’s Influential Business Women of 2020.

Tampa Of Counsel and Florida State Representative Fentrice Driskell served as president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association. She recently served as vice chair of The Florida Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and as co-chair of the Subcommittee on Gender Equality. Fentrice has been blazing a trail long before her legal career. She was the first African American woman to serve as student government president at Harvard University.

Los Angeles Shareholder Barry Weissman was appointed to the State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness (COAF) for a three-year term. COAF serves as the bar’s diversity “think tank,” and advises the board of trustees on strategies to enhance diversity opportunities and advancement in the legal profession.

Washington, D.C., Shareholder Gina Hough serves on the LGBT subcommittee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.


LORI BAGGETT Shareholder

Tampa

In 2019, Tampa Office Managing Shareholder Lori Baggett established the Baggett

Family Scholarship at Stetson University College of Law. The scholarship supports the academic achievement and potential

of African American students and seeks to increase their representation

in the legal community. For Lori, the scholarship is her way of paying it

forward, rekindling the same type of intentional financial assistance that

enabled her to obtain a full scholarship for law school and helped propel her career. “The scholarship represents

an acknowledgment that intentional financial assistance is required if we want to achieve greater educational

advancement for historically underrepresented groups in the

legal profession,” said Lori, who was elevated to managing shareholder

of the firm’s Tampa office in 2020. Lori is the recent recipient

of the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association Outstanding Alumni

Representative Award.

Carlton Fields President and CEO Gary Sasso was featured in Florida Trend’s 2020 Florida 500 edition honoring the state’s 500 most influential business leaders.

Miami Shareholder Rahul Ranadive serves on the board of directors for the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) of North America, and is vice president, South Florida, for SABA Florida.

West Palm Beach Associate Ashley Drumm serves as president of the Palm Beach County chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

ELEANOR YOST Shareholder

Tampa


Tampa Shareholder Eleanor Yost was named to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Bar Association’s inaugural list of the Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials. The list recognizes female practitioners who have appeared in the highest number of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office PTAB trial proceedings since 2012. Eleanor was featured in the PTAB Bar Association’s 2019 report on Women at the PTAB, which studies gender diversity at law firms and companies participating in PTAB proceedings. One of the few women in an exceptionally male-dominated field, Eleanor stands out as a triple threat; she has experience litigating patent cases in district court, arguing appeals before the Federal Circuit, and practicing before the PTAB.

Miami Of Counsel Edith Osman was the recipient of the University of Miami School of Law’s Henry Latimer Professionalism Award. The award recognizes a law school graduate who exemplifies professionalism, ethical behavior, humanity, service, and kindness to all. Edith was also selected as one of the ABA’s 100 Women Who Inspire Us.

West Palm Beach Shareholder Amanda Romfh Jesteadt serves on the Women’s Foundation of Florida board of directors and helped organize a series of summer events dedicated to racial justice and equity. She served as president of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Palm Beach County chapter, and on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of The Florida Bar.


Carlton Fields regularly partners with CREFC Women’s Network of Atlanta to provide networking and programming for the region’s commercial real estate and finance professionals. The firm hosted a roundtable program on hot topics and disrupters affecting CRE lending, spearheaded by Atlanta Shareholder Marci Schmerler; speed mentoring sessions with industry leaders; and an interactive professional development program, Leadership Lessons 360, designed to promote communication, connections, and confidence among women in commercial real estate finance.

The firm sponsored the Tallahassee Women Lawyers’ 37th Annual Judicial Reception. Tallahassee Women Lawyers is dedicated to promoting the status of women in the community and developing supportive networks between members in the legal profession.

Carlton Fields sponsored Metro Inclusive Health’s 2019 Annual Cocktail Party, Metro’s marquee fundraising event directly benefiting programming for the LGBTQ+ and ally communities.

Carlton Fields sponsored the George Edgecomb Bar Association’s 37th Annual Scholarship Banquet. Tampa’s largest predominantly African American voluntary bar association since 1982, GEBA has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to college-bound students and helped to make the goal of obtaining a higher education an accessible one for dozens of local students.

The firm sponsored the 2020 National Bar Association Commercial Law Section Annual Corporate Counsel Conference. Hartford Shareholder Robert Simpson, who previously led the Commercial Law Section, and Shareholders Lori Baggett, Yolanda Strader, and Rae Vann attended the conference, which is dedicated to identifying and retaining diverse outside counsel.

Carlton Fields hosted members of the CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Network for several educational and networking events, including a panel discussion on the obstacles women face as they try to negotiate challenges in a male-dominated industry.

Carlton Fields sponsored the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association 2019 Annual Dinner. The association provides programs that promote diversity and highlight the collective value of our individual differences.

Furthering Diversity in Our Communities


Top

30 200200O U T O F

LAW FIRMSLAW FIRMS

The American Lawyer’s 2020 Diversity Scorecard

Diversity Awards and Recognitions

The Best Law Firms (firms with 251-600 attorneys)

4th for Minority Equity Partners

Top 30 for Minority Attorneys

Law360’s 2020 Diversity Snapshot

Top 5Law firms in Florida with the

most female honoreesFlorida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite

Since its inclusion in the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms, Carlton Fields has ranked among the country’s top 15 law firms for creating, maintaining, and fostering a diverse workplace, and in the top 25 for technology and innovation. Carlton Fields is just one of six law firms ranked in the top 10 in all five of Vault ’s diversity rankings:

y 4th – Best Law Firms for Diversity

y 4th – Best Law Firms for Racial & Ethnic Diversity

y 5th – Best Law Firms for Individuals with Disabilities

y 6th – Best Law Firms for LGBTQ+ Individuals

y 8th – Best Law Firms for Women


6 of 11 offices headed or co-led by women and minorities2020 Newly Elected Shareholders

40% WOMEN

40% DIVERSE

Board of Directors

24% DIVERSE

CHAIRED BY A

MINORITY MALE

29% WOMEN

100% PERFECT SCORE

11 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate

Equality Index: Best Places to Work for

LGBTQ Equality

Administrative Directors

5 of 8 are women

Current Fellow YOLANDA STRADER

Shareholder Miami


Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

Miami Shareholder Yolanda Strader was recognized by Legacy Miami as part of a new Carlton Fields shareholder class that included four women. She was featured as the cover story in the 2019 Legacy Power issue for her accomplishments in her career and in the community. During her tenure as president of the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association, she worked to improve diversity in the judiciary so that it is reflective of the communities it serves. This led to the forming of the Judicial Diversity Initiative, a coalition of minority bar associations dedicated to increasing diversity on the bench and to raising awareness of the issue. Yolanda continues to challenge the status quo statistics of being a black woman in a position of power, stating, “I’m comfortable in my own skin and asserting my voice. Even when I’m the only black woman in a courtroom or a meeting, I know I’m just as valuable as anyone else.”

LCLD is a premier national organization that provides opportunities for women and minority in-house counsel to connect with women and minority law firm partners and senior associates. Each year, the firm nominates a mid- to senior-level associate to be an LCLD Pathfinder and a junior shareholder to be an LCLD Fellow. In addition, LCLD has an active alumni program that allows alumni to maintain and grow their relationships.

Carlton Fields was recognized by Leadership Council on Legal Diversity for its efforts to promote diversity in the legal profession and named as a 2018 Top Performer. The designation is given to corporations and law firms that commit the most time and energy to its programs. The firm has been a leader of the LCLD since it was founded in 2009.


M. Derek Harris West Palm Beach

Jin LiuTampa

Lori BaggettTampa

Fentrice DriskellTampa

Christopher Aird Miami

Kristin GoreWest Palm Beach

Alana Zorrilla-Gaston West Palm Beach

LCLD PAST FELLOWS

LCLD PATHFINDERS

Gregory BoulosMiami

Miami City Lead Current Pathfinder

Dana Chaaban Miami

Brian PorterTampa

Daniel EnriquezMiami

Past Pathfinders

LCLD BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President and CEO Gary Sasso served on the LCLD’s board of directors, and co-chaired the Fellows Program with the chief legal officer and secretary of Procter & Gamble. Gary Sasso

President and CEO

Through LCLD’s fellowship program, I have the opportunity to learn how to lead groups effectively and support future generations of talent from diverse backgrounds. As a woman of color and leader within the firm, I proudly share LCLD’s mission of building a more open and inclusive legal profession.

— Alana Zorrilla-Gaston, 2019 Fellow


Carlton Fields supports several pipeline programs for students of all ages, including:

Pipeline Initiatives

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pipeline Partnership

The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP) at both the national (ABA) and state levelThe Donald J. Weidner Summer for Undergraduates Program at Florida State University College of Law

Local Law Week activities for elementary, middle, and high school students

Teen Court Diversion Programs for fi rst-time youthful o

ffenders involved prim

arily in m

isdemeanors


Carlton Fields has joined the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, a coalition of more than 200 law firms dedicated to furthering the pursuit of equal justice in the law. As a partnering law firm, Carlton Fields commits to leverage the resources of the private bar to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism, to better use the law as a vehicle for change to benefit communities of color, and to promote racial equity in the law and in government institutions.

In response to the death of George Floyd and the protests across the country, Carlton Fields called upon its employees to share their thoughts about the recent events impacting our country’s current climate. The resulting video, “Unity in a Time of Crisis,” shares representative stories from within the firm — expressions of grief, despair, and hope felt and expressed by the firm’s own employees — in the hopes of helping all of us understand the gravity of recent events but also to heal and move forward together.

Each year, Carlton Fields hosts an Annual Firmwide Diversity Event, a firmwide celebration with a variety of activities dedicated to recognizing the unique cultures of the firm and perspectives of Carlton Fields’ attorneys and staff.

In honor of Black History Month in 2020, Carlton Fields hosted a diverse and dynamic panel of innovators who are addressing needs in Black communities and our communities at large. Leigh-Ann Buchanan (Venture Café), Brentton Jones (Corton Analytics Corp.), Rashad Thomas (Miami Super Bowl Host Committee), and Myleik Teele (Curlbox) discussed the paths to their respective leadership roles, what innovation means to them, and what they view as emerging needs in our communities.

201920th anniversary of the firm

extending benefits to employees’ domestic partners.

Carlton Fields launched a bilingual microsite to help startups and entrepreneurs grow and thrive. With content in both English and Spanish, LaunchToThrive.com provides legal documents, resources, and free counsel to entrepreneurs in the technology industry, including a population of Hispanic entrepreneurs that has been underserviced nationwide.

Celebrating Inclusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfvOvqVnUx0

https://launchtothrive.com/


y ACC Tampa Bay Women’s Network

y ACLU

y American Intellectual Property Law Association, LGBT Subcommittee

y Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California

y Association of Professional Insurance Women

y Brazilian Bar Association

y Caribbean Bar Association

y Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network

y Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association

y Connecticut Italian American Bar Association

y CREFC Women’s Network

y Cuban American Bar Association

y Equality Florida

y Florida Association for Women Lawyers

y George W. Crawford Black Bar Association

y Georgia Association for Women Lawyers

y George Edgecomb Bar Association Scholarship Banquet

y George Washington University Law School Black Law Students Association

y GFWC Tampa Woman’s Club

y Girl Scouts of America Women of Distinction

y Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association

y Hispanic National Bar Association

y Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

y Mexican-American Bar Association

y Muslim Bar Association of Southern California

y NAACP Annual Freedom Fund Dinner

y National Association of Women Business Owners

y National Bar Association

y National LGBT Bar Association

y New Jersey Women Lawyers Association

Carlton Fields champions diversity within our communities. Our lawyers participate and serve in leadership roles at associations focused on advancing diversity, and routinely sponsor events and organizations promoting and supporting inclusion, including:

Diversity Advocates in Our Community


ROBERT SHANNON Shareholder

Atlanta

y South Asian Bar Association

y Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia

y Suncoast Association of Chinese Americans

y Tallahassee Women Lawyers

y TBBJ Business of Pride

y Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter National Bar Association

y VISIONS Manhattan Advisory Board Awards

y Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Foundation

y Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County

y Women Economic Developers

y Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

Atlanta Shareholder Robert “Bobby” Shannon retired from the Air Force in 2017

with the rank of major general after 35 years of military service, including many years when he served while maintaining

his legal practice, and served as vice commander for the Georgia Air National Guard. Bobby was the first

African American in the Georgia Air National Guard to be promoted to full colonel and brigadier general.

During his military career, he had 18 deployments in support of combat and contingency operations to 30

countries. He served on the board of governors and as co-chair of

the diversity steering committee for the State Bar of Georgia; as a

representative on the Law School Association Council; as president of the Gate City Bar Association, the oldest Black bar association

in Georgia; and as chairman of the Atlanta Business League, which serves Atlanta’s Black

business community

NATALIE NAPIERALA Shareholder

New York


Pro Bono Work Furthering Diversity

Education Equality

The firm partnered with the ACLU, Public Counsel, and Arnold & Porter in filing an application for a temporary restraining order in Cruz v. State of California. In an overwhelming and powerful condemnation of the breakdown of inner-city schools, the court adopted the novel theory of the case that failure to provide substantive educational hours comparable to other California schools in more affluent areas is a denial of a constitutional right to “basic educational equality.” Los Angeles Office Managing Shareholder Mark Neubauer and Legal Administrative Assistant Maria Rodriguez received the ACLU Education Equity Award for their work on the case, which received national publicity for its creative approach to equal education being founded on “equal time.”

Challenging the Dilution of Minority Votes

As part of a broader effort to build a body of law with which to challenge the dilution of minority votes, the firm co-counseled with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in a federal lawsuit challenging a Georgia county’s district boundaries under the Voting Rights Act. After the firm filed the complaint, the parties reached a settlement under which the district map will be redrawn to create a second “majority-minority” district.

Supporting Marriage Equality

Carlton Fields represented six same-sex couples who were refused marriage licenses from their county clerk’s office. With the help of Carlton Fields, those couples and the Equality Florida Institute challenged Florida’s ban

Upholding Equality in Voting

Led by New York Shareholder Natalie Napierala, a team of 14 shareholders, associates, and paralegals across the firm assisted in a nationwide project by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to document the extent of racial voting discrimination in the United States. The firm’s detailed report for the state of New York, deemed one of the most complex states of the project, will be used by the Lawyers’ Committee to determine the extent of voting discrimination in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County decision, which struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

As co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, Natalie seeks to foster a culture of pro bono service and continue the firm’s long-standing commitment to helping those in need.

GAIL PODOLSKY Shareholder

Atlanta


on same-sex marriage under the 14th Amendment. Following the judge’s ruling against the ban, plaintiff couple Cathy Pareto and Karla Arguello became the first same-sex couple to be married in Florida.

Making Changes

Carlton Fields took part in Legal Services of Greater Miami’s campaign to assist LGBTQ individuals obtain a name change. The firm’s legal representation helped an LGBTQ individual receive a court order allowing him to obtain identifying documents with the appropriate name and gender. Carlton Fields’ work on this case helped the firm win the Legal Services’ Equal Justice Pro Bono Award.

Equality Partnerships

Carlton Fields has partnered with Equality Florida and other LGBTQ organizations over the years to expand LGBTQ rights. Our firm has represented several LGBTQ individuals in trial and appellate court cases involving family law and adoption matters, including:

y A teenager whose school would not allow students to participate in the annual Day of Silence.

y Successfully argued that Florida must recognize out-of-state adoptions by same-sex couples.

y Equality Florida as an amicus in two federal court cases to defend ordinances banning conversion therapy on minors.

Tackling the Travel Ban

On behalf of the ACLU, Atlanta Shareholder and Technology Industry Group Chair

Gail Podolsky filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit demanding

government documents concerning the president’s executive orders on travel

and immigration. The legal action is one of 13 FOIA lawsuits by ACLU state

affiliates around the nation seeking records from federal agencies related

to the travel bans. The litigation resulted in the production of more

than 95,000 documents.

Gail received the 2019 ACLU Volunteer Leadership Award for her

pro bono contributions, including her representation of a Muslim

woman who was forced to remove her hijab in a Georgia courtroom.

In 2020, Gail received the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance’s

Intellectual Property Community Service Award and was featured

in Georgia Super Lawyers for “moving the needle” on

important causes and issues.

DIVERSITYDIVERSITY and and INCLUSIONINCLUSION at Carlton Fieldsat Carlton Fields

www.carltonfields.com/diversity

Atlanta • Hartford • Los Angeles • Miami New Jersey • New York • Orlando • Tallahassee Tampa • Washington, D.C. • West Palm Beach

Carlton Fields practices law in California through Carlton Fields, LLP.

OCTOBER 2020

https://www.carltonfields.com/about-us/community-involvement-pro-bono

diversity and inclusioninclusion at carlton fields · at the ptab, which studies gender diversity...

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