Fish & Richardson Recognized as a 2016 "Top Performer" by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

Fish & Richardson announced today that it has been recognized as a "Top Performer" for 2016 by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). LCLD chose 28 firms from its 180 law firm members, and 13 corporations from its 86 corporate members, as Top Performers to recognize the time and effort they have put into LCLD activities this year. Top Performers "went above and beyond to participate in LCLD and support its mission of creating a more inclusive legal profession."

"We are proud to be part of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, and gratified to be recognized for the time and energy we commit to participating in their programs," said Ahmed J. Davis, national chair of Fish's Diversity Initiative and a principal in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. "Our work to recruit, retain, and advance a diverse group of attorneys is ongoing, and we are steadfast in our commitment to improving diversity at every level in the legal profession."

All 41 of the member organizations recognized as Top Performers nominated 2016 Fellows, and almost all hosted 1L Scholars and participated in the Success in Law School Mentoring Program. Top Performers also proved their investment in LCLD's continued growth by hosting Compass Conversations or selecting 2016 Pathfinders, two of LCLD's newest action items. Additional recognition criteria included serving on the LCLD Board of Directors, assisting with LCLD pilot initiatives, or recruiting new LCLD Members.

For the past five years, Fish has participated in the LCLD Fellows Program, which is a highly structured program that maintains a goal of producing a generation of attorneys with strong leadership skills who are committed to fostering diversity within their individual institutions and the profession at large. Each class of Fellows also serves as mentors to those who follow. Betty Chen, a principal in the firm's Silicon Valley office, is the firm's 2016 LCLD Fellow

Fish also participated in LCLD's inaugural Pathfinders program, which is designed to train early-career attorneys in critical career development strategies including leadership skills and networking. Dr. Tiffany A. Reiter, an associate in the firm's Boston office, was selected for the 2016 Pathfinder program.

In addition, the firm participates in the LCLD Law School Mentoring Program, which pairs first year law students with a mentor who will follow them through their three years of law school to provide guidance and advice. This year, Ricardo Bonilla, an associate in the firm's Dallas office, is serving as a City Lead for the mentoring program.

In 2005, Fish launched its own 1L Diversity Fellowship Program, which provides annual fellowships to diverse first-year law students across the United States. Each Diversity Fellow receives mentoring throughout their law school education, a paid summer associate position in one of Fish's domestic offices, and up to a $10,000 academic scholarship. For the past four years, Fish has registered its 1L Diversity scholars as 1L LCLD Scholars, which enables them to participate in an LCLD "Scholars Summit" with diverse 1L students from firms across the country.

LCLD is made up of more than 250 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who have dedicated themselves to creating a truly diverse U.S. legal profession. LCLD's action programs are designed to attract, inspire, and nurture the talent in society and within its member organizations, thereby helping a new and more diverse generation of attorneys ascend to positions of leadership. For information, visit www.lcldnet.org.