Satra Sampson-Arokium
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Dechert LLP
Headquarters: Philadelphia, New York
Industry: Law Firm
CEO: Henry N. Nassau
Website: www.dechert.com
Credentials: Masters of Public Administration, Marist College; B.A., State University of New York at Albany
Philosophy: In the words of author and activist Maya Angelo, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Take the time to listen and always treat people with dignity and respect.
The team had a number of accomplishments in 2022. Dechert’s Actionable Allyship and Inclusive Leadership training, which is open to all employees, educates Dechert’s staff on how to define and understand allyship, privilege and discrimination so that the firm can continue being an inclusive work environment. The firms has affinity groups that help foster numerous opportunities to members. Those groups provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to staff members. The company also holds an annual DEI week where colleagues are encouraged to celebrate and take pride in their identities.
Going forward, the retention of diverse associates is a high priority for the firm, particularly since demand for diverse legal talent still exceeds the supply. The DEI team will work with partners inside the firm to develop and enhance our firm’s mentoring program and it will hold intense, interactive sessions on inclusive leadership for all personnel. The firm will also host an in-person Diverse Lawyers’ Symposium that will bring together diverse associates for two days of programming, community building and networking. Throughout it all, the firm will track and analyze diversity data to ensure parity and to remedy any inequities.
