Diversity
Where Diversity and the Law Work. Together.
Diversity is more than a business catchphrase at Winstead.
It is our core commitment. Diversity influences our actions, how we engage with our clients and communities, and how we view our firm and our future.
Winstead believes that we accomplish more together than we could alone, that inclusiveness is essential to teamwork. And in the process, we are willing to give more than we receive.
Diversity Committee
Winstead's Diversity Committee identifies develops, plans and implements business opportunities for the recruitment, retention and promotion of attorneys of color and women attorneys at our firm.
For example, Winstead's Diversity Committee discovers and evaluates events such as conferences and other networking opportunities that promote its minority and women attorneys. The Diversity Committee also determines areas of improvement in our mentoring and inclusion of diverse attorneys.
At the start of 2007, the Diversity Committee launched the Year of the Woman, a full-year awareness and education initiative supported by the establishment of our first affinity group – the Women's Alliance.
Organized to address topics of interest to women at the firm, the Women’s Alliance considers such concerns as business development, leadership opportunities, retention and alternative work schedules, which benefit and strengthen the firm as a whole.
Through the efforts of the Diversity Committee, we have systematically implemented activities such as:
- Monitoring case assignments for participation of diverse attorneys
- Skill strengthening and mentoring for all attorneys
- Introducing diverse attorneys to key clients and fostering lasting relationships
- Review and revision of Winstead’s alternative work policy, mentoring program and assignment systems
Winstead's Diversity Statement
Winstead is strongly committed to diversity.
The firm strives to recruit, retain and advance men and women of all backgrounds so that our workforce reflects the diversity of our clients and our communities. We are proud that our firm is made up of attorneys who bring different perspectives and experiences to the firm, not just through varied cultural backgrounds but also by having lived and practiced in various cities across the country.
We believe that promoting diversity among staff, associates and shareholders makes Winstead a more collegial and competitive firm in the global marketplace. This commitment to diversity applies not only to our own staff, but also to selection of business partners and vendors.
Winstead provides equal employment and advancement opportunity regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
Committee Accountability
The strategies and programs emanating from our Diversity Committee receive monthly review and performance analysis by the CEO and the Executive Committee. The committee is held accountable by our executives.
From increasing the number of minorities at the associate and partnership levels, to expanding networks with minority associations and adding a minority focus to mentoring programs, Winstead’s Diversity Committee seeks to set the standard of today’s diverse workplace.
Committed to Diversity
Diversity is an essential ingredient of Winstead's culture and success. Our firm and leadership team are strongly committed to the recruitment, retention, development and advancement of men and women of all backgrounds so that our workforce reflects the diversity of our clients and our communities. This commitment to diversity applies to our attorneys, staff and to the selection of our business partners and vendors. Winstead is proud to have women and minorities serving at all levels of firm leadership, including the Executive Committee, as Office Managing Partner, Practice Group Chair, and on many internal committees and teams.
Winstead's Diversity Committee, headed by Shareholder Tom Forestier, includes attorneys Yasmin Atasi, Alex Gonzales, Teresa Schneider, Kirk Williams, Zeena Angadicheril, Paige Castaneda, Joe Fonlon, Keneisha Green, Carmen Ng, Brooke Reynolds, and Alex Valdes. The Diversity Committee works closely with the firm's Executive Committee to identify and implement the firm's diversity initiatives.
Key Diversity Initiatives
Through the efforts of the Diversity Committee, we have systematically implemented activities such as monitoring case assignments for participation of diverse attorneys; skill strengthening and mentoring for all attorneys; introducing diverse attorneys to key clients for fostering lasting relationships; and revision of Winstead's alternative work policy, mentoring program, and assignment systems.
Women's Alliance
The Women's Alliance was organized to address topics of interest to women at the firm, such as business development and leadership opportunities, retention rates and alternative work schedules.
Winstead's Women's Alliance is continuing to move forward with its goals and plans that were set in 2007. In May 2008, the Women's Alliance hosted three landmark business development and networking events for firm clients in Austin, Dallas and Houston. The events were designed to promote business development and networking opportunities for both clients and the Women's Alliance. Currently, the Women's Alliance continues to flourish as Winstead's female attorneys continue to participate in firm-wide and local workshops and meetings to focus on issues affecting women in the legal profession.
Diversity Scholarship
In 2008, the Diversity Committee launched the Winstead Juris Doctor Scholarship, a scholarship program aimed to enhance the recruitment of diverse candidates at Texas law schools. Through the scholarship program, Winstead awards three $20,000 Winstead Juris Doctor Scholarships annually to first-year, underrepresented, diverse law students at the following Texas law schools: The University of Texas School of Law, The University of Houston Law Center and Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
Summer Associate Program Diversity
In 2008, Winstead ranked second and third, respectively, for the percentages of women summer associates and minority summer associates, according to a survey of the top 25 Texas law firms.
Organizations and Activities
Because diversity requires not just ideas, but action and support, in 2008 and 2009, Winstead actively participated in and sponsored a number of key organizations and events including the following (attorney leadership roles in parenthesis):
- Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship (Co-sponsor)
- Anti-Defamation League Torch of Liberty Dinner (Co-Chair)
- Chicano Hispanic Law Students Association – UT (Mentor)
- Texas Minority Corporate Counsel Program (Steering Committee)
- Asian American Bar Association of Houston
- National Bar Association Convention
- Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (Officer and Charitable Foundation Board Member)
- Hispanic Bar Association of Houston - President's Day
- Houston Association of Black Journalist Gala
- Houston Diversity Council (Winstead is a founding member)
- Thurgood Marshall Legal Society
- Tomorrow's Attorneys Pipeline Program
Winstead Juris Doctor Scholarship and Law School Outreach
Winstead is proud to award three annual $20,000 Winstead Juris Doctor Scholarships. The scholarship is available to first-year, underrepresented diverse law students at the following Texas law schools: The University of Texas School of Law, The University of Houston Law Center and Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. Three Scholarships—one in each of the law schools mentioned above—were awarded in 2009. Each scholarship award includes a one-time grant in the amount of $2,000 made to a student interest group of the winner's choosing
Applications are available in January, both on our Web site at www.winstead.com and in the Financial Aid office of each participating law school. The deadline to submit completed applications is in mid-February. Finalists from each school are then interviewed in March, with the recipients being notified in mid-March. Receptions for each Scholarship recipient and his/her family are held in Austin, Dallas, and Houston in April. For more information regarding the Winstead Juris Doctor Scholarships, contact Dominique Anderson, Director of Attorney Recruitment, at danderson@winstead.com
Winstead is strongly committed to diversity. Winstead participates on career panels at schools, reaches out to leadership and members of minority bar associations and student organizations. Because diversity requires not just ideas, but action and support, Winstead actively participates in a number of key organizations and events including the JL Turner Legal Association, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, and the Texas Minority Counsel Program.
Women's Alliance
Where Winstead and Women Work. Together.
Founded to ensure that opportunities are available to all Winstead lawyers, irrespective of gender, the Women’s Alliance addresses topics of interest to women at our firm and in the legal profession.
Business development. Leadership opportunities. Retention. Alternative work schedules. Workshops. Client programs and panels. All on our agenda.
Intended not only for women, our Women’s Alliance is designed to guarantee that the female perspective on important issues is explored and considered. We encourage anyone, and everyone, interested in these issues to participate and provide suggestions and support. For further information on Winstead’s Women’s Alliance, please contact Teresa Schneider at 713.650.2709 or tschneider@winstead.com.
Community
Where Winstead and Community Service Connect.
It is Winstead’s professional imperative to give back to our community. And it is our social conscience that propels our ongoing community service and charitable contributions. These activities have become defining attributes of our attorneys and staff.
As founding partner Pete Winstead notes, “Community service is the core of what we do. We value the opportunity and trust our clients and communities grant us. In return, we seek to honor that trust by making a positive difference where we live and work.”
Winstead in the Community
Winstead’s professionals are active and vital volunteers in a range of social programs, outreach activities and civic projects. We are board members of nonprofits and organizations in the arts, healthcare and other areas that shape the quality of life in our communities.
We devote many hours to support organizations, assist those in need, and invest our personal efforts and professional skills to the diverse people and places that make a difference.
Diversity Recruitment & Outreach
Winstead actively recruits diverse candidates as part of our overall firm recruiting program.
We are signatories to two Texas diversity initiatives – the Statement of Goals of Dallas Law Firms and Corporate Legal Departments for Increasing Minority Hiring, Retention and Promotion and the Houston Bar Association's 2005 Gender Initiative Commitment Statement.
Winstead recruits minority lawyers laterally and includes minority attorneys in our recruiting programs. We participate on career panels at schools, reach out to leadership and members of minority bar associations and student organizations and create internal firm affinity groups that support succession planning with an emphasis on diversity.
Our participation includes the following recruitment activities and outreach:
- Southeastern Minority Job Fair and Sunbelt Minority Job Fair
- Sponsorship of minority student organizations events, such as the Thurgood Marshall Legal Society Banquet, UT Women’s Law Caucus Golf Tournament and the UT Chicano/ Hispanic Law Students’ Association Cultural Celebration
- Sponsorship of minority student career development events, such as Career Night held by the Dallas Asian American Bar Association and Dallas Hispanic Bar Association "Lighting of the Path to Education" Dinner Reception
- Dallas Bar Association Minority Clerkship Luncheon and Houston Bar Association's Summer Associate Luncheon
- Smallwood Keller and Lewis Diversity Career Fair
- Development of a new Law School Diversity Outreach and Scholarship Program
- Sponsorship of an initiative at the University of Houston Law Center to prepare more minority students for eligibility for law review
Diversity & Our Vendors
Our commitment to diversity extends beyond our own team and includes the selection of our business partners and vendors.
Winstead utilizes a questionnaire for its vendors and suppliers to ensure that the procurement door is open to everyone and that all qualified, capable and competent businesses have the opportunity to compete.
Where companies are equally competitive, perhaps for different reasons, diversity is an important and possibly a deciding factor. If our suppliers, vendors and business partners do not reflect our commitment to diversity, we seek qualified ones who do.
Pro Bono
Winstead greatly supports the right to legal representation, especially access for the less fortunate, marginalized and disadvantaged. Our attorneys, paralegals and legal assistants donate numerous hours each year to a wide variety of organizations and individuals. Click here for a list of organizations in which Winstead attorneys serve as pro bono general counsel or legal counsel or special counsel for projects.
Several Winstead attorneys volunteer for various legal aid organizations that are instrumental in preserving "equal access to justice." Some of these organizations include:
- Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program
- Dallas Urban Land Bank Program
- Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program
- Legal Aid of Northwest Texas
- Texas C-Bar
- Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas
For more information regarding Winstead’s pro bono legal assistance, contact John Reenan at 214.745.5109 or jreenan@winstead.com. |