Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Overview

At Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, we approach diversity as a naturally integrated component of our culture that impacts every facet of our business – from recruitment to the workplace environment to development and advancement. We believe that our commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, and mutual respect is best demonstrated by what we do.

As Steptoe & Johnson continues to grow, we strive to cultivate an environment that always values our differences. We believe that diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect are essential values that not only strengthen and enhance our firm culture but also contribute to our ability to more effectively serve a broad range of clients and provide the highest quality of service in a manner that exceeds client expectations. We believe that the best ideas come when lawyers and staff with diverse backgrounds and experiences embrace one another’s uniqueness and share their perspectives. We see our individual differences as assets that strengthen what we can accomplish as a firm.

Highlights

• Our commitment to diversity and inclusion starts at the top, guided by the vision and dedication of our CEO, Christopher Slaughter, with support from the Executive Committee
• The firm developed a new parental leave policy in 2019, which includes unique benefits such as MilkStork and Mindful Return
• Implemented the D Cubed Program, which guides everyone in the firm to consider diversity and inclusion in all decision-making
• Create and support internal affinity groups, such as the Veterans Inclusion Council, the Working Parents Alliance, and the Women’s Leadership Initiative
• Standing Diversity & Inclusion Committee addresses the needs of attorneys with diverse backgrounds and includes members of the firm, as well as the firm’s Director of Human Resources, Director of Attorney Recruiting, and Director of Business Development
• Continually enhance our diversity-focused recruiting efforts for all levels of attorneys and professional support personnel
  • Actively recruit diverse attorneys and staff members through numerous channels, including on-campus initiatives and minority job fairs
  • Ensure individuals’ opportunities for professional development and advancement within the firm are not limited because of sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other category protected by law
• Establish procedures for measuring the firm’s success in attracting, retaining, and advancing lawyers from diverse backgrounds
• Ensure that women and diverse lawyers play an integral part in firm management and leadership
  • Immediate Past CEO is female, one of only 12% in the nation, according to Law360’s 2018 Glass Ceiling Report. She is a long-standing diversity champion; in the 1980s, when she was expecting her first child, she wrote the firm’s family leave policy — a policy that was adopted by many firm clients
  • Two of the firm’s four departments are chaired by women, including the firm’s largest department, the Energy & Natural Resources Department, which is led by an attorney who was the first woman to graduate from her university as a petroleum engineer
  • More than 25% of firm members are women
  • 25% of firm departments and practice groups are led by women
  • Six firm offices are managed by women
  • One office managing member is African American
• Achieved Mansfield Rule Certification for three years (2022-2024) in a row from Diversity Lab’s program to increase diversity and create inclusive workplaces. The Mansfield Rule Certification measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions
  

• Participate and maintain an active presence in diversity-focused organizations, such as the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), a national organization that comprises more than 250 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who have dedicated themselves to creating a truly diverse U.S. legal profession
• These initiatives foster a work environment of mutual respect, open-mindedness, appreciation, and understanding, all of which welcome different perspectives and backgrounds

Recognitions

• First West Virginia member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
• Member of the Allegheny County Bar Association Summer Clerkship Program, which focuses on providing a challenging and enriching employment experience for diverse first-year law students
• Charter member/chairperson of the WVU Black Law Alumni Association
• Past chair of Defense Research Institute’s Young Lawyers Diversity Subcommittee
• Co-sponsor of Status of Women in West Virginia with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research
• Instrumental in starting the Women in Energy Awards, with events in Houston, Denver, and Pittsburgh

Awards

• Recipient of the Women’s Empowerment Forum Gold Standard Certificate
• Firm attorney named an Outstanding Diversity Champion in 2018 by a respected business publication