AUGUST 3, 2023 – Davis Wright Tremaine LLP's commitment to racial equity has earned the firm recognition as a finalist in the "Corporate Purpose" category of the 2023 American Lawyer Industry Awards.
"We are committed to fostering a firm culture where everyone can have, and can see, a path to success and to effecting positive change within our communities," said Scott MacCormack, firmwide managing partner at Davis Wright. "This commitment infuses every part of how we do business. We have a great deal left to do and are inspired by this recognition to deepen our efforts."
The firm's corporate purpose finds one of its strongest expressions in the work of our Pro Bono & Social Impact department, which has put racial equity at the center of its efforts. Since January 2022, more than 180 Davis Wright attorneys devoted more than 9,000 hours to matters combatting systemic racism.
This multifaceted pro bono work includes:
- Litigating to stop an unconstitutional Georgia statute that disenfranchises voters of color.
- Seeking relief for individuals who have been affected by criminal justice statutes that unfairly impact diverse communities.
- Researching racial restrictive covenants and bringing to light the ongoing impact of past discriminatory housing policies and redlining practices.
- Helping individuals remove criminal convictions from their records.
- Supporting minority entrepreneurs and small businesses.
- Advancing Black home ownership.
"Pro bono that advances racial equity enables our attorneys and staff to give back to the communities they deeply care about," said Joanna Plichta Boisen, chief pro bono and social impact officer at Davis Wright. "It's also some of the most impact-driven and scale-balancing work we have the privilege to do. Being a finalist is a reflection of this deep commitment and a testament to how ingrained it is in our corporate purpose."
Within Davis Wright, racial equity is also a daily priority. The firm has worked to transform the way we recruit lawyers and staff, how we support and engage underrepresented communities, how we present our teams to clients, how we internally evaluate and promote, the benefits we offer to support work-life balance, and many other facets of our business in order to address the pervasiveness of racism and attempt to undo its pernicious effects.
The firm also partners extensively with clients to support DEI goals. These efforts include the launch of a cross-practice DEI Strategic Consulting, Support, and Defense Group, which helps organizations maintain their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion while navigating the challenges presented by recent judicial decisions and the current political climate.
Davis Wright was previously honored at the 2022 American Lawyer Industry Awards as the winner, with Flynn Restaurant Group, of Best Client-Law Firm Team. The recipients of this year's awards will be announced at AmLaw's annual gala in November.
About Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is an AmLaw 100 firm with more than 600 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.dwt.com.