One of the core values of Phillips Lytle is our commitment to foster an inclusive environment – one in which diverse individuals may succeed professionally, better serve our clients, and contribute to our communities. We believe that what we offer our clients is enhanced by contributions from many diverse sources, and our civic activities reflect our strong commitment to this core value.
Phillips Lytle has had a Diversity Committee in place for many years now. Its purpose has been to increase awareness throughout the firm of the importance of diversity in the workplace. The Diversity Committee encourages all members of the Phillips Lytle community to share ideas and contribute to its ongoing work. We regularly rotate the constituents to keep its activities dynamic and relevant. Our current committee includes Phillips Lytle’s Managing Partner, David J. McNamara; Partners, Linda T. Prestegaard, David H. Kernan and Paul Morrison-Taylor; and Sandra E. Langs, Esq., Chair and Chief Diversity Officer. Associate liaisons also serve on the committee.
Phillips Lytle engages in a wide array of activities, both internally and externally, to support a diverse workplace. In 1991, we established a scholarship program for students at the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. The recipients of the Phillips Lytle scholarship are individuals who are traditionally underrepresented in the Western New York legal community. Phillips Lytle was the first law firm to start such a fund at the school and is proud to have sponsored numerous recipients over the last 20 years. Scholarships continue to be awarded each year, and, as part of the award process, recipients demonstrate their intent to practice law in Western New York.
Phillips Lytle seeks to attract diverse talent by engaging in active recruiting throughout the year. We have long participated in the DuPont Minority Job Fair, and most recently attended the annual National Black Law Students Association, Northeast Region Annual Job Fair. We also support internship opportunities in many of our offices, engage in mentoring initiatives in local communities, and are active in numerous recruiting activities that recognize the value of a diverse workplace.
We also recognize that retaining talent is a fundamental aspect of supporting a diverse workplace. The best way to retain talented lawyers is to give them the tools and opportunities they need to grow professionally and to support the work/life balance. We have steadily increased our training programs for associates, providing greater opportunities to learn from our highly skilled attorneys and from within our clients’ in-house legal departments. In 2008, we hired a seasoned attorney as the firm’s Professional Development Director to enhance training at the firm. We are proud of the fact that Phillips Lytle is fully accredited by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board as a provider of continuing legal education to attorneys. What’s more, Phillips Lytle sponsors attendance at numerous conferences each year where the agenda includes best practices in the workplace and the importance of diversity in business and civic life.
Other keys to retention are recognition, feedback and maintaining a culture of dedication and commitment. We recognize and support mentoring as an integral part of training and building relationships. Attorneys at all levels, including our Summer Associates, participate in the mentoring process. In addition, Phillips Lytle has an active Associates Committee which works directly with firm management to develop training opportunities, retreats and other educational and social events.
We also recognize the importance of an effective Associate evaluation process. In 2003, we enhanced our Associate evaluation process which is now based on the ABA Fair Measure Toward Effective Attorney Evaluations, sponsored by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. Enhancement of diversity in the workplace was a driver of the ABA Fair Measure.
With regard to work/life balance, it has been a long-standing policy of Phillips Lytle to allow part-time status for attorneys to provide an environment conducive to working parents. Our maternity and paternity leave policy for attorneys provides a paid leave (in addition to disability) following the birth, adoption or placement in foster care of a child. Additionally, our discretionary leave policy for attorneys provides unpaid leave for reasons unrelated to medical, maternity or paternity situations.
Phillips Lytle has always been dedicated to being a leader in the legal business community, as well as to the communities we serve. Our attorneys take leadership, sponsorship, committee and other roles in professional and civic organizations which promote the advancement of diversity in the business community.
Our civic and leadership role is longstanding and robust. In 1998, Phillips Lytle became a signatory to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Statement of Goals for the Retention and Promotion of Women. In 1999, Phillips Lytle became a signatory to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Restatement and Reaffirmation of Goals of New York Law Firms and Corporate Legal Departments for Increasing Minority Retention and Promotion.
Phillips Lytle’s pro bono program is an important component of our commitment to diverse communities. Such services benefit the organizations which assist the indigent and institutions which contribute to the quality of life in our communities. Hours spent working on pro bono matters are included with the attorney’s billable hours. Over the last three years, Phillips Lytle has provided nearly $2 million in legal services to low income and disadvantaged individuals and families, and not-for-profit groups.
Phillips Lytle’s civic participation is significant. We sponsor hundreds of charitable and educational events annually. We have always encouraged attorneys to be active members of their communities and to serve on boards or institutions of the attorney’s choice. We are proud of the fact that our attorneys have participated in hundreds of civic, charitable and not-for-profit boards for decades.
We continue to build on our commitment to bettering our communities through corporate volunteerism efforts. Phillips Lytle’s “Volunteer Crew” was established in 1994 and is managed by a committee of Phillips Lytle employees. The core team of volunteers recruits and coordinates the activities of more than 100 full-time employees and attorneys of the firm and their family members. Thousands of hours are spent working on initiatives such as delivering meals, partnering with clients in school mentoring programs, staffing community events, cleaning, painting and providing free legal services. This corporate volunteerism is a natural extension of our tradition of philanthropy, and is a key part of our corporate citizenship program.
Our attorneys have long participated in Leadership Buffalo. The mission of this program is to unite and develop existing and emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds and perspectives in order to increase their knowledge of community issues, broaden their vision, and enhance their individual and collective ability to lead.
All of these efforts make a difference in our communities and strongly support inclusion.
Phillips Lytle is an equal opportunity employer and, in accordance with applicable laws, prohibits discrimination against applicants or employees based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, domestic violence victim status, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics or genetic information, or any other category protected by law.
This policy extends to all personnel actions, including recruiting, hiring, transfers, promotions, demotions, compensation and benefits administration, participation in firm-sponsored training, education and social programs, layoffs, recalls and terminations.