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 holds individual affinity group conferences to bring together members from across the Firm for professional development and pipeline efforts.

In September 2019, Weil’s Latinx attorneys from across the United States convened in New York for strategic planning and career development sessions, including a fireside chat with Weil alumni from Columbia University and NBCUniversal. In the evening, Weil hosted the 2019 Annual Hispanic National Bar Association Convention’s kick off reception where partner Ed Soto delivered welcome remarks.

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 Partner and WeilLatinx member Adam Hemlock arranged for David Arroyo, SVP and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Discovery, to participate in a lunch with our attorneys of color.

In fall 2019, Weil’s Black Attorney Affinity Group co-hosted an intimate dinner with WeilLatinx for Silicon Valley clients.

WeilLatinx hosted a dinner in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month featuring a conversation with Weil alumni Vanessa Chandis and Erick Flores of NBCUniversal.

WeilLatinx held an intimate roundtable discussion 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. Two associates moderated the discussion around leveraging the Latino/Hispanic community, developing relationships with sponsors, and general career advice.

In July 2016 and 2017, the Firm hosted Federal Judge panels with alumni of color for U.S. 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.

In fall 2019, Weil hosted its biannual Women of Color breakfast with partner, Charan Sandhu at Amali in New York City. The event was attended by women associates of diverse backgrounds and levels.

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.

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 9 identifying as Hispanic or Latino.

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.

In fall 2019, 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.

Weil has granted 53 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 has been a longtime supporter of LatinoJustice PRLDEF, as well as the Corporate Counsel Women of Color Conference, the Council of Urban Professionals, the Center for Talent Innovation, the Hispanic Lawyers Society of New York, 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.