Marshall, Gerstein & Borun recognizes that diversity at all levels of our firm strengthens and provides a platform for continued success including the highest quality of services. Diversity heightens this value by fostering creative legal thinking that emerges from collaboration among people who bring a multiplicity of experiences. Diversity contributes to our compassion, our unity and our position as a leading intellectual property law firm. To that end, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity; maintaining a firm culture defined by collegiality, fairness, loyalty and respect for one another.
All people at our firm are judged on the basis of their capabilities. Our firm does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, disability (including people infected with the HIV virus or with AIDS), domestic partner or martial status, ethnic or national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, or inclusion in any group protected by federal, state or local law, or association with people protected under this policy.
This policy applies to all areas of employment, including benefits, compensation, hiring, promotion, recruiting, social programs and training. Marshall, Gerstein & Borun is not content with mere legal compliance or the safeguarding of those in protected categories from overt acts of harassment; instead, we believe that our core value of mutual respect subsumes and positively engenders a zero-tolerance policy.
The firm has an established diversity committee, chaired by an Executive Committee partner and comprised of partners, associates and the executive management team. The members also serve as liaisons with the education, recruiting, pro bono, and marketing committees and practice teams to ensure that diversity issues, as set forth in the firm’s strategic plan, are considered and incorporated at every level of the firm’s management and operations.
Achieving Diversity in our Workforce
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse group of people from all walks of life. Consistent with these commitments, we are dedicated to creating an environment in which individuals with divergent backgrounds can thrive. To assist in our recruitment of minority attorney candidates, we are an active member of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, participating in its minority attorney forums and hosting the annual minority associates and clerks recruiting functions and minority in-house counsel round tables.
The firm sponsors and participates in career fairs organized by minority law associations on an annual basis. These activities include:
- Chicago Lesbian & Gay Bar Association’s Attorneys for Diversity
- Chicago Committee for Minorities in Large Law Firms' annual minority law student open house and “Associate Bash”
- Cook County Bar Association Minority Job Fair
- Loyola Patent Law Interview Program
- National Black Law Students Association Midwest conference and career expo
- National Lesbian and Gay Law Association Lavender Law Conference and career expo
A Learning and Mentoring Environment
We have taken great care to establish and implement comprehensive training, mentoring and evaluation programs for all of the firm’s attorneys and other professionals. Through our diversity initiatives and the active support at the highest levels of our firm, we have established programs and evaluation systems to assist us in achieving our retention goals.
Mentoring and Professional Development – A Safety Net for Success
A formal mentoring program has been in place at the firm for a number of years. We recently enhanced the program by tracking and reporting meetings between mentors and mentees to ensure effective relationships and that respective goals are achieved. Utilizing the services of mentoring consultants, the firm implemented an expanded program with built-in reporting components. Active mentoring sessions are hosted for all participants to openly discuss their roles and to manage expectations and responsibilities. Engaged participation and reporting are included in partner and associate evaluations and compensation.
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun's Director of Professional Development works with attorneys at all stages of their careers to develop and implement comprehensive plans for continuing legal education. Our firm is dedicated to creating an environment in which individuals can flourish. We are committed to making sure all of our attorneys have the support needed to further their careers so that they may continue to hone their skills and provide the highest quality representation to our clients.
Frequent Feedback and Evaluations
Associates are evaluated twice annually to facilitate feedback and identify training and professional support necessary to succeed. The partners are committed to recruiting and retaining excellent legal talent with strong scientific backgrounds in the technologies that support our clients. That commitment is reflected by the 360 degree evaluation of partners by associates on an annual basis, a system that has been in place for a number of years. A confidential electronic survey enables both partners and associates to complete their evaluations and submit comments. Identifying and addressing challenges and successes in team relationships are essential to providing exemplary client service. Partner and associate compensation are influenced by the evaluation system.
Broad-based Community Service
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun is also actively engaged as participants and sponsors of various community organizations devoted to community service, pro bono and professional development. Some of these include:
- AIDS Foundation of Chicago
- AIDS Legal Council of Chicago
- Chicago Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law Firms
- Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Women Attorneys in IP
- Lambda Legal
- Legal Assistance Foundation
- Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago
- Michigan Journal of Race & Law's Winter 2008 symposium
- National Lesbian and Gay Law Association
- North American South Asian Bar Association
- Women’s Bar Association of Illinois