February 13, 2023
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce it has achieved the Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) Black Equity at Work Certification. Launched in 2020, the Black Equity at Work Certification Program provides an innovative roadmap for employers to achieve Black equity in the workplace. This certification marks an important milestone and is serving as an additional platform for the firm to further demonstrate its commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace.
“Though there is still work to be done, we are thrilled to reach this key milestone and recognize it as an important achievement in our journey toward Black equity, specifically, and racial equity, more broadly,” said Zakiyyah Salim-Williams, Partner and Chief Diversity Officer of Gibson Dunn. “Over the past two years, we have worked diligently to build a more robust supplier diversity program and expand the number of Black-owned and diverse suppliers where we spend our dollars. We have deposited millions of dollars in Black-owned banks and invested in nonprofits and community organizations committed to racial justice and equity. We are proud that our efforts will have a direct impact on Black communities, Black families, and Black entrepreneurs, which will hopefully have an exponential impact on generations to come.”
We are proud to be the first law firm to achieve certification and to stand alongside leaders across all industries in taking meaningful action to ensure Black equity within our respective organizations. In addition to this important certification, Gibson Dunn’s Black Advancement Initiative, which is focused on the recruitment, retention, and promotion of Black attorneys into partnership and leadership positions across the firm, continues to demonstrate strides of success.
Launched in 2019, the Gibson Dunn Black Advancement Initiative has now contributed to a 150 percent increase in the number of Black lawyers at the firm, a 150 percent increase in Black partners (which total 16), and a significant increase in Black lawyers in leadership positions. Through this initiative, Gibson Dunn has hired four times the number of new Black associates, five times the number of summer Black associates, and 18 times the number of Black lateral attorneys. The firm’s Global Black Affinity Group has met 60 times over the past three years, including at our inaugural Black Attorney Retreat in 2022, and has cultivated a strong Black community at the firm.
To learn more about Gibson Dunn’s involvement with the MLT Black Equity at Work Certification, please visit here. For more information on the MLT Black Equity at Work Certification, please visit https://mlt.org/partners/racial-equity-at-work/.