The Black Attorney Affinity Group Conference in New York City brought together affinity group members from the U.S. and London offices in July 2018 for career development, client and law student networking, and strategic planning.

Conference Highlights:

• Client and Alumni Networking Reception
• Speed Mentoring Workshop benefiting PENCIL
• “Taking Ownership of Your Career” client panel and discussion featuring Felice Gray-Kemp of LEGO, Michelle Ifill of Verizon, and John Mbiti of Credit Suisse
• Lunch discussion and strategic planning session with Firm leaders
• “Career Paths and Lessons Learned” panels featuring Weil alumni and BAAG partners Adé Heyliger and Adam Banks
• Personal Branding Workshop facilitated by Weil’s Business Development team

The January 2017 Multicultural Attorney Conference brought together Asian, Black, and Latino attorneys from across the U.S. and London offices for career development, networking, and strategic planning. Conference Highlights include:

• “Future of Civil Rights Panel” with speakers from the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, LatinoJustice, and Muslim Advocates
• Courageous Conversations about Race panel exploring PwC’s Color Brave efforts
• Gender breakout sessions featuring Calvin Gladney and Tiffany Dufu
• Lunch discussion with Executive Partner and Affinity Group Management Committee Sponsors
• Student of Color 1L Recruiting & Diversity Reception and Client Panel
• Talking Boldly About Race Workshop facilitated by Vernā Myers

Weil started the formal Racial Justice series in 2020 to highlight the racial inequities present in the United States and to increase dialogue. As part of the series, Weil invited speakers from non-profit organizations to take part in fireside chats and discuss their missions.

The Racial Justice Series included:

• Weil sponsored the LatinoJustice Lideres Young Professionals Board Fall Networking reception in support of their Legal Pipeline Programs, in addition to sponsoring their annual dinner.
• In honor of Juneteenth 2020, Weil hosted a fireside chat with Clint Odom, SVP at the National Urban League, who discussed the history of police brutality in the United States and the reform efforts of the League.
• As part of Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month 2020, Weil hosted Jerry Vattamala, Director of the Democracy Program at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Jerry touched on topics such as the rise in anti-Asian sentiment as a result of COVID-19 and how redistricting can affect communities of color.
• In June 2020, Weil partnered with LatinoJustice, a non-profit organized working to create a more equitable society through education and advocacy. LatinoJustice held two events, with the first focusing on the effect of the citizen question litigation on the 2020 Census and the second discussing the importance of voting and the effects of the pandemic on voting.
• Weil hosted two partners from McKinsey, Shelley Stewart & Jason Wright, to discuss the disparate impact of COVID-19 on the Black community. Shelley and Jason will also discuss the historical racial inequities present in the United States healthcare system.
• Weil invited Samuel Spital, Director of Litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to discuss the current policing crisis and how to achieve racial justice through legal and policy solutions.

Historically, Weil has placed great emphasis on racial justice. In response to the increase in shootings of unarmed men of color in 2016, the Firm joined the National Urban League’s Urban Solutions Council as one of its first law firm members. Weil continues to partner with the NUL’s Policy Bureau and other member companies in the Council to help create socioeconomic opportunities for men of color in the United States through policy and advocacy efforts.

Weil requires all attorneys and administrative staff across the U.S. to complete a two hour Annual Mandatory Diversity Training modeled on the ethics CLE requirement. Recent topics include:

• ­Interactive theater on unconscious bias by Steps Drama
• Implicit bias training by the Perception Institute, which fulfilled the New York and California Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE requirements.
• “Talking Boldly About Race: Being an Upstander in a Time of Cultural Unrest” in the workplace led by Vernā Myers.

Weil’s biennial Diversity Month took place in November 2019, with events held across Weil’s U.S. and international offices on the theme From Bystanders to Upstanders: Together We Can Make a Difference.

Annually, the Dallas Office hosts a Multicultural Luncheon with varying topics and speakers. In 2019, they hosted Joe McGill, founder of The Slave Dwelling Project, who shared his personal experiences visiting historic slave dwellings and the importance of preserving these sites. The 2018 luncheon featured a fireside chat with Angela Winfield, Director of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at Cornell University and an African American attorney who is blind, discussing disability awareness and intersectionality. The 2017 luncheon addressed Faith, Religion and Diversity of Thought with prominent religious leaders from Faith Forward Dallas including: Dr. Mark Chancey, Professor of Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University; Reverend Andy Stoker, Senior Minister of the First United Methodist Church of Dallas; Imam Omar Suleiman, President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and a professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University; and Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Community educator, volunteer and activist.

In July 2016 and 2017, the Firm hosted Federal Judge panels with alumni of color for US summer associates featuring Judge Vernon Broderick, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge George Hazel, U.S. District Court of the District of Maryland, and Chief Judge Brenda Rhoades, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

BAAG members attend pan-affinity events such as the fall 2019 intimate dinner with SoundCloud General Counsel Antonious Porch co-hosted by WeilPride. In fall 2019, BAAG members attended an intimate dinner for Silicon Valley clients co-hosted by WeilLatinx. In 2019, Weil hosted David Arroyo, SVP and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Discovery for a fireside chat with Partner, Candace Arthur. In the past BAAG members have attended dinners in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month featuring a conversation with Weil Alumni Vanessa Chandis and Erick Flores of NBCUniversal, as well as a WeilLatinx hosted intimate dinner for associates of color with Weil alumni Andrea Saavedra, Vice President at Goldman Sachs and Ray Mercedes, Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel - Chief of Staff at Univision Communications, Inc.

Bi-annually women of color attorneys gather for informal breakfast discussions hosted by partners. In fall 2019, Weil hosted a Women of Color breakfast at Amali in New York City. The event was attended by women associates of diverse backgrounds and levels.

In 2017 and 2018, BAAG members in the London office have held a series of events focused on entrepreneurship. Over 30 entrepreneurs and professionals have attended, including the Head of Technology, Media & Telecommunications Transactions for PwC, and representatives from JP Morgan, Nomura, Goldman Sachs and Smiths Group plc.

In fall 2019, the Black Attorney Affinity Group co-hosted two client events: a pre-screening of Harriet with Women@Weil and an intimate dinner with SoundCloud General Counsel Antonious Porch with the LGBTQ+ affinity group.

Weil hosted or participated in over 65+ targeted diversity recruiting events in 2019. The U.S. 2020 summer class was 40 percent law students of color, with 12 identifying as Black or African-American.

Weil has granted 49 Diversity Fellowships of $10,000 each in scholarship awards to first and second-year law students since 2011.

The Folks party is a Weil tradition dating back to 1987 and is still held annually, bringing together alumni, summer associates, and Weil attorneys of color at a partner’s home.

In 2019, BAAG and WeilLatinx co-hosted an informal welcome for summer associates with 16 Handles, as well as a sushi and tapas-making class.

Weil hosts annual MLK Day of Service activities. In 2019 and 2018, the Firm hosted a number of on-site and offsite volunteer opportunities. In 2017, the New York Office bundled 2,000 healthy snack packs and health and hygiene kits for clients served by the Bowery Mission.

Weil is a supporter of the Corporate Counsel Women of Color Conference, the Council of Urban Professionals, the Center for Talent Innovation, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and Legal Outreach, amongst many other nonprofit and membership based organizations.

Weil has a longstanding relationship with PALS (Practicing Attorneys for Law Students), a nonprofit organization committed to minority attorneys and law students, including hosting mock interview, 1L exam writing, and networking workshops. Weil also hosts onsite pipeline programs for students in middle school and high school through PENCIL and Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC Workplace Mentoring Program.

The Firm sponsors and actively participates in internship opportunities such as the Dallas Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Program (SEO) and Summer Search. Weil's New York Office has provided nearly 100 summer internships to high school and college students from community based organizations since 2013.