Diversity Initiatives & Awards

Striving to be a catalyst for change, our diversity efforts have received awards and citations for leadership in multicultural initiatives.

Recruiting and Retention Initiatives

Diversity committee that includes members of our management committee, including our Chairman.
An initial signatory of the Mecklenburg County Bar’s Call to Action Diversity Initiative.
Founding firm member of the Mecklenburg County Bar Association’s Legal Diversity Clerkship Program.
Mentoring programs specifically committed to mentoring minority and female associates.
WoMVA, a committee dedicated to developing and retaining our female attorneys.

Community Initiatives and Involvement

Formed the Hispanic Outreach Task Force as a collaborative effort with Legal Services of Southern Piedmont and Bank of America’s legal department to fight abuses by notary publics.
Adopted City of Peace Charlotte, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching the value of diversity and inclusion to children.
Served instrumental role in forming the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce’s Black Professional Network, a group committed to building mutually beneficial alliances with Charlotte-based organizations serving the black community.
Provide leadership and legal assistance to the Community Building Initiative, a nonprofit organization established in 1997 by government and civic leaders to promote racial and ethnic inclusion and equity in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.
Maintain a firmwide Devonshire Reading Program that allows employees to volunteer their time by reading to third grade classes at Devonshire Elementary, which is a public school primarily attended by minority children.
Serve leadership roles in the Mecklenburg County Bar’s diversity efforts. Our partner George Hanna founded and served as one of the first Co-Chairs of the Mecklenburg County Bar’s Special Committee on Diversity. Partner Valecia McDowell also has served as Co-Chair.
Earmarked a portion of its contribution to the University of North Carolina School of Law Center for Banking & Finance to support the Director Diversity Initiative, an effort to work with North Carolina-based companies to increase diversity on their boards of directors along gender, racial and ethnic lines.
Worked with the Council for Children’s Rights to establish a Charlotte office of the United States Center for Refugees and Immigrant Children.

Awards & Noteworthy Recognition

Julius L. Chambers Diversity Champion Award presented to George Hanna, founding co-chair of the Mecklenburg County Bar’s Special Committee on Diversity, in its second year (2009).
Balanced Life Workplace Award (Large Firm Category) given by the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys (2007).
Diversity in Business Award presented by the Charlotte Business Journal and the Diversity Council of the Carolinas to both George Hanna (2006) and Valecia McDowell (2007).
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce’s Black Professional Network’s Multicultural Community Involvement Award (2005).