Berry Appleman & Leiden: The #1 Most Diverse Law Firm in America Once Again
DALLAS, May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again, Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) has earned the title of the #1 most diverse law firm in the United States. For the second year in a row, the trailblazing immigration firm landed the #1 spot on The American Lawyer's 2021 Diversity Scorecard, the industry's preeminent ranking of racial diversity in the legal field. BAL ranked #1 out of 220 firms nationwide.
"We are pleased to continue to lead the industry on this critical issue at such a pivotal time," said Jeremy Fudge, the firm's Managing Partner. "At BAL, we have always understood that our strength as an organization comes from our diversity. We empower every individual to contribute their unique perspectives to the conversation and to our shared mission to make a positive difference."
While most law firms continue to lag behind on racial diversity, BAL topped the Diversity Score at 74.7 – the second-place firm was 5.6 points lower. The Diversity Score is calculated by adding the percentage of minority attorneys and percentage of minority partners. Half of BAL's 175 attorneys (49.7%) and one in four BAL Partners (25%) are racial minorities. Additionally, BAL scored #1 for having the highest percentage of minority equity partners (28.6%) and for having the highest percentage of Asian-American attorneys (26.9%). BAL is also among the top five law firms in the country for the highest percentage of Latinx attorneys (16%).
"We are a truly vibrant and multicultural workplace, and we have been intentional about putting in place a host of programs to ensure that we remain diverse and inclusive," said Rob Caballero, a Partner who oversees the firm's Austin, Houston and New York offices. "We continue to learn from each other and celebrate the diversity of our communities to best serve our clients, who are from all corners of the world."
Last year, the firm launched dozens of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives that have helped facilitate cross-cultural connections and open discussions about topics such as Black Lives Matter and the rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community. The Diversity Scorecard also ranks BAL among the top 10 firms in the country with the most minority partners. The Diversity Scorecard is based on the average number of full-time minority attorneys—Asian-American, Black, Latinx or Hispanic, Native American and self-described multiracial attorneys—at Am Law 200 and National Law Journal 250 law firms.
"As a multiracial attorney who has seen the firm's diversity flourish through the years, I'm so proud that BAL's outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts are being recognized nationally, and that we are leading the way for other law firms," said Petra Tang, a Partner in the firm's San Francisco office.
About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL)
BAL, one of the world's most recognized corporate immigration law firms, is the Best Lawyers® "Law Firm of the Year" in U.S. Immigration Law for 2019, the Most Diverse Law Firm in America (2020) and the Best Law Firm for Women (2019 and 2020). BAL's Cobalt® digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product and the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovation Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services. BAL is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology innovation. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world's first global immigration service delivery model. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Who's Who Legal. See website for details: https://www.balglobal.com/.
SOURCE Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
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