Company: Milbank LLP
Diversity Team Name: Milbank LLP Diversity Group
Diversity Team Leader(s): Mikeisha Anderson Jones, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Website: www.milbank.com
What Makes this Diversity Team Stand Out
Milbank LLP has embedded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the fabric of the firm, from recruitment and professional development to work/life integration and commitment to community. We hire and support lawyers and business professionals across broad dimensions of diversity, bringing different perspectives that benefit our firm and our clients.
Recruiting
Our commitment to DEI is demonstrated by our approach to recruiting of underrepresented groups, including the following:
- Our sponsorship of underrepresented law student and professional bar associations, support of early access programs, and involvement in national diversity initiatives.
- Members of our DEI and Women’s Initiative (WI) committees serve as hiring partners, ensuring that our ideals are integrated at the very core of the firm.
- Our resource groups (more below) also take an active role in the recruitment of law students from underrepresented backgrounds. This includes building relationships with diversity organizations at law schools and supporting the pre-law school pipeline of undergraduates through engagement, mentorship, and our Diversity Fellowship Program and Diversity Scholarship Program.
- Milbank also sponsors campus outreach events, where we connect with LGBTQ+ law students, including participation at the annual Lavender Law Conference.
Inclusion and Growth
We invest in our people through a range of resource groups and innovative programming. These groups offer leadership, networking, and mentoring opportunities that help launch and build enriching careers. Our affinity groups include these:
- aADAM (Attorneys of African Descent at Milbank)
- APIN (Asian Pacific Islander Network)
- LaMano (Latinx Mentoring and Networking Organization)
- Parenting Group
- Pride (LGBTQ+ Affinity Group)
- Women@Milbank
We also support several regional focus groups in London, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.
Milbank’s DEI Learning Initiative offers an engaging, global curriculum to everyone at the firm. The program addresses vital topics, such as understanding unconscious bias, leading inclusively, and creating an inclusive culture.
Milbank offers lawyers an opportunity to participate in our Career Development & Coaching Program and our highly regarded Milbank@Harvard program, which include diversity and inclusion modules. In addition, our WI Committee sponsors leadership, networking, and client development workshops, as well as our Self- Advocacy Program for junior women associates.
Additional Highlights
In addition to our award-winning pro bono program, which focuses heavily on social justice work and correcting inequities in our criminal justice system, Milbank is regularly recognized as a DEI leader in the legal space. The following are examples of such recognition:
- Since 2010, Milbank has held a top 30 rank in The American Lawyer “Top Law Firms for Diversity Scorecard.”
- The firm achieved a perfect 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index and was designated a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.”
- We were selected as “Best international firm for work-life balance” by Euromoney Americas
- Milbank proudly observes the Juneteenth holiday in the United States.
Through our DEI initiatives, we are building an inclusive environment where the individual differences among us are understood, respected, and appreciated; recognized as a source of strength for the firm; and valued as qualities that enrich the environment in which we work.
