Optional Subtitle
Protected: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity Efforts
Plaintiff’s firms, and the legal industry more generally, suffer from a lack of diversity. At Edelson PC we believe that law firms handling the biggest issues of the day must reflect the clients (and interests) they’re fighting for. This is especially true for a firm like Edelson, which views itself as innovative, tackling issues other firms shy away from. Because we often take on cases of first impression, we need people with different views and perspectives so we can have a true “battle of ideas”, ensuring our client’s successes.
To achieve these goals, Edelson created a c-level position to re-evaluate recruiting top diverse candidates. To that end, we changed (i) where we recruited – adding schools that highlight diversity, including Howard University School of Law, (ii) who at the firm was interviewing, and (iii) our approach, looking beyond T14 law schools and evaluating candidates in a more holistic manner, among other things. Finally, we undertook efforts aimed at increasing not only the diversity within our own ranks, but within the broader legal community, ranging from “job talks” at law schools about non-traditional (i.e., non-Big Law) career paths, conducting mock interviews with candidates from historically unrepresented racial or ethnic groups, to partnering with key organizations such as the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program, San Francisco Bar Association’s Diversity Pipeline Program, and Berkeley’s Womxn of Color Collective.
These efforts paid off, resulting in immediate improvements to Edelson’s summer program. To that end, of the nine Summer Associates in its 2019 Summer Associate Class, five spent full summers with the firm. All were women and each were considered and received offers for Associate positions. The 2020 Summer Class boasted nine individuals— nine women, three that are minorities.
As it currently stands, nearly half of the firm are women and one-fourth of the firm represent traditional minority communities, with three women and three men in leadership roles.
Recognition
Accompanying Text: Recipient of The National Law Journal’s 2021 Diversity Initiative Award honoring plaintiffs firms that demonstrate a concerted and successful effort to promote diversity within its organization and the profession at large.
Perspectives:
“Why Diversity Matters Quote”
– Jay Edelson
Diversity Efforts
Plaintiff’s firms, and the legal industry more generally, suffer from a lack of diversity. At Edelson PC we believe that law firms handling the biggest issues of the day must reflect the clients (and interests) they’re fighting for. This is especially true for a firm like Edelson, which views itself as innovative, tackling issues other firms shy away from. Because we often take on cases of first impression, we need people with different views and perspectives so we can have a true “battle of ideas”, ensuring our client’s successes.
To achieve these goals, Edelson created a c-level position to re-evaluate recruiting top diverse candidates. To that end, we changed (i) where we recruited – adding schools that highlight diversity, including Howard University School of Law, (ii) who at the firm was interviewing, and (iii) our approach, looking beyond T14 law schools and evaluating candidates in a more holistic manner, among other things. Finally, we undertook efforts aimed at increasing not only the diversity within our own ranks, but within the broader legal community, ranging from “job talks” at law schools about non-traditional (i.e., non-Big Law) career paths, conducting mock interviews with candidates from historically unrepresented racial or ethnic groups, to partnering with key organizations such as the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program, San Francisco Bar Association’s Diversity Pipeline Program, and Berkeley’s Womxn of Color Collective.
These efforts paid off, resulting in immediate improvements to Edelson’s summer program. To that end, of the nine Summer Associates in its 2019 Summer Associate Class, five spent full summers with the firm. All were women and each were considered and received offers for Associate positions. The 2020 Summer Class boasted nine individuals— nine women, three that are minorities.
As it currently stands, nearly half of the firm are women and one-fourth of the firm represent traditional minority communities, with three women and three men in leadership roles.
Recognition
Accompanying Text: Recipient of The National Law Journal’s 2021 Diversity Initiative Award honoring plaintiffs firms that demonstrate a concerted and successful effort to promote diversity within its organization and the profession at large.
Perspectives:
“Why Diversity Matters Quote”
– Jay Edelson
Partnerships
Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program
The Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP) was created to address the lack of diversity in the legal field by infusing the pipeline with highly-qualified, diverse law students. The program provides scholars with internship and externship placement, academic support, coaching, counseling, financial assistance, tutoring, seminars and workshops, professional development, mentorship, and more. In addition to partnering with the City of Chicago’s Affirmative Litigation Division to host DAPP summer interns, Edelson PC works with DAPP scholars throughout the year. Prior to the 2021 recruitment cycle, Edelson hosted an Interview Program with DAPP, providing over 50 one-on-one mock interviews geared toward each scholar’s career path. The mock interviews were primarily done by our leadership team and the firm’s Partners.
Sixth Municipal Circuit (Markham) High School Mock Trial Competition
Every year the ISBA hosts a high school mock trial competition to give students an opportunity to prepare and present a case at trial. Every high school in Illinois is invited to send one qualifying team to Champagne for the competition, giving students a better understanding of the legal system.
While many schools have funding for these types of activities, including dedicated coaches to practice with the students every day after school and a budget for travel, many high school students in south suburban Cook County aren’t lucky enough to have those opportunities, and until a few years ago, none of the students from that area ever competed in the competition. To turn things around, the judges in the Sixth Municipal District formed a committee to encourage south suburban students to compete and to find attorney-coaches for each of their teams.
In 2017, Edelson PC began hosting an educational seminar open to all of the high school mock trial teams participating in the regional competition. In addition to the firm’s attorneys and staff serving as coaches and judges for the day to prepare students for the upcoming competition, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has spoken at the event to provide advice and encouragement to competitors.
“The experience left an indelible impression on our student participants and I am certain they will cherish the day. The children were inspired by the culture and character of your firm and its attorneys. Your firm’s intellectual investment in the lives of our children is priceless.” — The Sixth Municipal District Judges
Sixth Municipal Circuit (Markham) High School Mock Trial Competition
Every year the ISBA hosts a high school mock trial competition to give students an opportunity to prepare and present a case at trial. Every high school in Illinois is invited to send one qualifying team to Champagne for the competition, giving students a better understanding of the legal system.
While many schools have funding for these types of activities, including dedicated coaches to practice with the students every day after school and a budget for travel, many high school students in south suburban Cook County aren’t lucky enough to have those opportunities, and until a few years ago, none of the students from that area ever competed in the competition. To turn things around, the judges in the Sixth Municipal District formed a committee to encourage south suburban students to compete and to find attorney-coaches for each of their teams.
In 2017, Edelson PC began hosting an educational seminar open to all of the high school mock trial teams participating in the regional competition. In addition to the firm’s attorneys and staff serving as coaches and judges for the day to prepare students for the upcoming competition, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has spoken at the event to provide advice and encouragement to competitors.
“The experience left an indelible impression on our student participants and I am certain they will cherish the day. The children were inspired by the culture and character of your firm and its attorneys. Your firm’s intellectual investment in the lives of our children is priceless.” — The Sixth Municipal District Judges
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance
Eve-Lynn Rapp, a Partner at the Edelson PC serves as one of the key personnel on the Board of Directors for the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, an organization with participation from over 280 law firms across the world seeking to leverage the resources of the private bar to promote racial equality in the law and amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism.