MG+M The Law Firm (MG+M) released our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging (DEIB) Annual Report that highlights the firm’s commitment to fostering a culture that honors, celebrates and promotes diversity.
“I, along with our DEIB leaders, decided that we would devote this year’s DEIB report to providing examples of how every member of our MG+M team works every day to make their colleagues and members of our communities feel a sense of belonging,” says Managing Partner and Chief Diversity Officer Amaryah Bocchino. “You can recruit diverse individuals and encourage them to share their ideas and perspectives, but if every team member does not feel like they belong to the team, the team will not succeed.”
The following are some highlights from the comprehensive report, including information about firm programs, trainings and activities that demonstrate a meaningful commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Diversity Numbers
MG+M’s representation of women is above industry average. Nearly half, or 49 percent, of the firm’s attorneys are women, compared to the industry average of 40 percent. Women partners also have a higher rate at MG+M at 38 percent, compared to the industry average of 27 percent. Among firm associates, 61 percent are women; 12 percent above the industry average.
Mansfield Rule
MG+M is proud to be Mansfield Certified Plus 5.0 for the third year in a row in 2022, having again exceeded the requirements for certification. Mansfield Rule requires participating law firms to measure and track the diversity of their candidate pools for leadership and governance roles, equity partnership, senior lateral hiring, and client pitch activity, with the goal of considering at least 30 percent underrepresented lawyers.
DEIB Roundtable
Established in 2020, the DEIB Roundtable has grown in membership and continues to provide a platform for shared views on MG+M’s DEIB principles, goals and efforts. The group format offers meaningful opportunities for members to listen and be heard. This exchange broadens the collective understanding of the firm. The roundtable also encourages our workforce to stay engaged in the communities we serve.
Pro Bono and Community Service
From volunteering to assist Ukrainian nationals seeking asylum to commuting sentences for the wrongly convicted, MG+M strives to provide the highest level of pro bono legal representation to those who need it most. The firm’s pro bono commitment is facilitated by an active pro bono committee, which includes two co-chairs and a local designee from each of the firm’s jurisdictions to ensure that we focus on pro bono work relevant to each community.
Additionally, in an effort to continue working toward fostering equity in our regional communities, each office identified a local charity in 2022 to support through in-person volunteering.
“It is a blessing to work at a firm that places an emphasis on giving back through pro bono efforts,” says Hattiesburg and New Orleans Partner Adam Hays. I have been fortunate to have so many people help me through the years; it only seems fitting that I should give back when I can help someone else.”
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
Since 2017, MG+M has been a member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), an organization made up of more than 400 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners working to build a more open and diverse legal profession. As part of LCLD, MG+M offers educational opportunities and programs designed to equip the next generation with leadership skills and relationships, thereby helping a new and more diverse generation of attorneys ascend to positions of leadership.
Women’s Forum Initiatives
The MG+M Women’s Forum supports the empowerment and professional and personal development of women in our firm, in the legal profession and in our communities, including championing and collaborating with outside organizations that empower and support women.
“As an attorney for almost two decades, I have been honored and blessed to be part of many committees, boards, organizations, bar associations and law-related clubs,” says Chicago Partner and DEIB Roundtable member Pamela Budreau. “Although these have been rewarding affiliations, none compare to the legal food for the soul that National Association of Women Lawyers and the MG+M Women’s Forum have provided me day in and day out.”
Promoting Diversity Beyond MG+M
MG+M proudly supports and partners with organizations serving the community and promoting diversity in the areas where we live and work. We enthusiastically sponsor, serve on boards, chair committees and engage in the efforts of many impressive organizations, as well as help promote diversity in other organizations we work with.
“It has been very rewarding for the firm to be part of the national conversation on the critical integration of DEIB principles with operational best practices,” says Walnut Creek Partner and DEIB Co-Chair Carlos Poza. “Our participation in the leadership on this front has not only energized our own efforts to continue to learn, engage and adapt, but it has also afforded us a chance to share in the advancement of these ideals with others committed to the importance of incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at every level.”