Wells Fargo and the San Diego Business Journal's 11th Annual Multicultural Heritage Awards were held on March 29, 2006 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. This program was created to recognize and honor San Diego-area companies that go above and beyond to celebrate ethnic diversity in the workplace and in the community. These outstanding firms - nonprofit, small businesses, medium businesses and large businesses - not only participate in San Diego's diverse community; they define it. Leading their industries through programs, policies and plans, they set the bar for others to attain. Congratulations to each of these honorees for their continued commitment to nurturing a multicultural workplace.
In the Medium Business Category: Gordon & Rees LLP
Gordon & Rees's commitment to diversity encompasses both lawyers and staff alike, including people of different races, religions, cultural backgrounds, national origins, sexual orientations, gender, gender identity, disabilities or medical conditions and ages.
The firm is a supporter of numerous community groups in promoting diversity and multiculturalism, including SDSU's President's Diversity Gala, the Hispanic Bar Association, San Diego Urban League, San Diego Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Corporate Director's Forum, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the San Diego Legal Aid Society. It has also participated in the National Black Law Students Association's Western Regional Job Fair.
Gordon & Rees has also hosted an evening reception with the theme of celebrating diversity in leadership, recognizing distinguished individuals from San Diego's education, business, nonprofit and judicial system for their contributions to the community and commitment to a diverse workforce.
Gordon and Rees established a Diversity Committee seven years ago to improve the diversity of the firm. Beginning in 2005, the Diversity Committee issued an annual diversity report to advise the firm's management and the entire Gordon and Rees community in all offices on the progress the firm has made to improve diversity. An addition, it has also set up a mentoring program for attorneys new to the firm where the Diversity Committee pairs these attorneys with a mentor of similar diversity with the idea that this shared characteristic will lead to a stronger relationship and professional success.
As an organization, Gordon & Rees signed on to the Bar Association of San Francisco's Goals and Timetables for Minority Hiring and Advancement. It will continue to support attorney membership in professional organizations which provide opportunities for minorities, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender attorneys in the firm to network, find mentors and grow in the profession.
Gordon & Rees actively recruits minority law students and lawyers through a variety of means. The firm's efforts have been recognized most recently with the Defense Research Institute (DRI) Law Firm Diversity Award for 2005.
Click here to view the Certificate.