Barnes & Thornburg’s Diversity Committee has made recommendations for taking the firm’s diversity initiatives to the next level. Using those ideas as a springboard, the firm’s Managing Partner and firm management fashioned and approved a Diversity Action Plan. The plan outlines activities for recruitment and retention, mentoring, professional skills development programs and sponsorship of diversity-focused events.
To help improve the rate of retention of women and minorities, Barnes & Thornburg offers career development beginning with summer associates. Each summer associate works with two advisors who strive to ensure that the student’s experience is rewarding. Similarly, partner and associate advisors, as well as mentoring programs, assist in easing the transition from student to attorney for all new attorneys at the firm. Each year, the firm holds several diversity events and consistently schedules lunches with new minority attorneys and firm leadership.
Community ActionBarnes & Thornburg is pleased to offer support to the following diversity programs, diversity initiatives, organizations, and events that are located throughout the communities in which our offices reside:
- 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Inc.
- American Heart Association Go Red for Women
- American Intellectual Property Law Association Women in Law
- Asian American Alliance Race for all Races
- Black Law Students Association
- Central Indiana Community Foundation Latino Scholarship
- Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms
- Cristo Rey High School
- Dress for Success
- Gateway to Diversity Program
- Human Rights Campaign
- Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration
- Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity
- Indiana University Foundation Black & Green Exhibit
- Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis Women’s Caucus
- Indiana Youth Group
- Indianapolis Urban League – Equal Opportunity Day
- Integrating Women Leaders, Inc.
- Lambda Legal
- LaPlaza
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
- Links, Inc.
- Martin Luther King Dream Classic National Basketball Shoot-Out
- Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Awards Luncheon (Indianapolis)
- Midwest Black Law Students Association
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association CLE Expo
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
- National Association of Women Business Owners
- Providence Cristo Rey High School
- Twin Cities Diversity in Practice
- Union Club of Chicago Diversity Dinner
- United Negro College Fund
- Black Indianapolis Unveiling
- Wishard Foundation George H. Rawls Scholarship
- Women & Hi-Tech
- Women Employed
- Women of Wind Energy
- Women’s Fund of Central Indiana
- Women’s Fund of Central Ohio
- YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
- YMCA of West Central Michigan
Bar Association Involvement
- American Bar Association Minority Counsel Program
- American Bar Association National Association of Law Students with Disabilities
- American Bar Association Women in Law Leadership Conference
- Cook County Bar Association Minority Law Student Job Fair
- Grand Rapids Bar Association Diversity Roundtable Advocate
- Indianapolis Bar Association Diversity Job Fair
- Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers Foundation
- Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women
- Minnesota Women Lawyers
- National Bar Association