Other past conferences include the following highlights.

• Client and alumni network reception with performance by the Syncopated Ladies.
• Leadership small group discussions with several members of the Management Committee.
• Fireside chat with Judge George Hazel.
• 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 BLAST partners Adé Heyliger and Adam Banks
• Personal Branding Workshop facilitated by Weil’s Business Development team

In Fall 2022, key Weil clients and BLAST members came together to forge stronger business relations while enjoying a night of music performed by legendary Soca artist, Machel Montano.

In honor of Juneteenth, members of the Weil family participated in a guided tour of Seneca Village in Central Park to explore the deep history of this 19th century settlement of predominantly African-American landowners in the heart of Manhattan.

Since 2011, 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. In 2022, the US training featured Vallotkarp Consulting, delivering programing on how to promote inclusivity as an everyday habit.

The 2021 theme was “Antiracism and Allyship: The Collective Power of Individual Actions” and featured virtual programs globally such as Blair Imani’s practical insights on how to be an effective ally and Liz Klinerock on ways to facilitate anti-bias and anti-racist practices in the workplace.

Weil hosted or participated in 38+ targeted diversity recruiting events in 2022. The U.S. 2022 summer class was 32% law students of color with 11% identifying as black.

Weil’s Diversity Fellowship Program awards progressive scholarships with the first installment awarded as a summer associate and second upon acceptance of a full-time offer. Since 2011, the Firm has awarded 70 fellowships

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

In 2022, BLAST hosted in-person programs for summers, including ice cream socials and a visit to the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit in NYC.

BLAST hosted virtual programs for summers in 2021, including a game night and a caviar tasting. Summers also participated in virtual mentoring groups with BLAST attorneys and met with the group’s Management Committee sponsor.

BLAST members participate in associate of color mentoring circles, which supplement the existing mentoring program for associates who seek additional access to partners as advisors and role models. The circles foster peer mentoring and provide a forum to discuss diversity topics at the Firm.

BLAST (Black Lawyers Achieving Success Together) is a new leadership and business development initiative. BLAST invests in participants through Management Committee Sponsors, individualized business plans, executive coaches, and group leadership sessions. To date, there are three BLAST programs dedicated to Black senior attorneys, mid-and junior-level associates and partner mentors.

Two advisory boards were formed in 2021 to work with Executive Partner Barry Wolf, one composed of Black partners, and the other of Black counsel and associates. These advisory boards advise on a range of issues of importance to the Firm, including but not limited to diversity-related topics.

Jumpstart is a new resource for new and lateral Black associates who are paired with a Black partner and associate to support their transition to the Firm

The Black Affinity Group also created Zoom mentoring circles to stay connected during the pandemic.

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:

Since May 2020, Weil has held 25+ virtual programs for the Racial Justice Speaker Series, including but not limited to:

• In honor of Black History Month and Heart Health Month 2023, we recently held a fireside chat between Candace Arthur, a partner in our Restructuring Department, and Tracy K. Paul MD, acclaimed cardiologist and Director of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Women’s Heart Program.
• Heather McGhee, political commentator, strategist and author for Juneteenth 2021
• Professor Ibram X. Kendi for a fireside chat on How to Be an Antiracist.
• Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt to help understand and uncover Bias: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We Say, Think and Do

Weil also offered programming with an intersectional lens, including:

• Intersectionality with Kimberlé Crenshaw, a UCLA and Columbia law school professor who is the leading authority on race, racism and the law
• Veteran’s Day program with Lieutenant General Nadja West

Prior in June 2020, Weil collaborated with LatinoJustice, a non-profit organized working to create a more equitable society through education and advocacy. \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.

Additionally, The Institute for American Policing Reform (IAPR), a pro bono client of the Firm, has published a Weil Racial Justice Fellow and associate’s comprehensive White Paper, which sets out a principle-based approach to reforming state policing laws and police department policies regarding the use of force. 

Two advisory boards were formed to work with Executive Partners Barry Wolf. One is composed of Black partners, and the other of Black counsel and associates in the US and London. These advisory boards will advise on a range of issues of importance to the Firm, including but not limited to diversity-related topics.

The Racial Justice Fellowship Program was developed to provide associates with the opportunity to participate in six-month, full-time pro bono fellowships with nonprofit organizations focused on racial justice. During the first phase of the program, two associates worked with the Institute for American Police Reform (IAPR), a pro bono client of the Firm. The IAPR aims to take a research-driven approach to transforming police practices, particularly those that disproportionately affect people of color.

For two consecutive years, 2022 and 2023, in celebration of MLK Day of Service, Weil hosted its first Social Impact Awards, honoring administrative staff, attorneys, and nonprofit partners who have gone above and beyond in making a difference in the broader community through public service, charitable giving, and much more.

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 aims to serve the community through the sponsorship of several organizations as part of our ongoing Racial Justice  Initiative, including:

• Boston University Center for Antiracist Research
• Equal Justice Initiative
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law

Other external sponsorships include:

• Weil was among the first law firms to join the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), whose mission is to leverage the resources of the private bar to promote racial equity in the law.
• Weil’s Racial Justice Fellowship was developed to provide associates the opportunity to participate in full-time six-month long pro bono fellowships.

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.