Diversity Honors Gala Adds Sponsors, Steering Members

Diversity Honors Gala Adds Sponsors, Steering Members

Washington, D.C. – Preparations are continuing for the annual Diversity Honors Gala, sponsored by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), with the addition of high-profile sponsors and members of the steering committee. Celebrating diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, the gala is set for September 11 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

Several sponsors are helping to underwrite the cost of the gala. Microsoft Corporation and Walmart, Inc. lead the way at the $75,000 level. They are joined by DuPont Company at the $50,000 level; and Latham & Watkins LLP, McGuireWoods, Target Corporation, McDermott Will Emery, Ogletree Deakins and the Association of Corporate Counsel at the $25,000 level. Supporting the gala at the $15,000 level are Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Allstate Corporation, Pfizer Inc., Xerox Corporation, JetBlue Airways Corporation, Greenberg Traurig LLP, and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.

Members of the gala steering committee are working to recruit attendees and presenters, and assisting with fundraising. This year’s committee members include Craig Barnes of Sedgwick LLP; Sharon Bowen of Latham & Watkins; Marcus V. Brown of Entergy Services, Inc.; Thomas E. Cabaniss of McGuireWoods LLP; R. Bruce McLean of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Jim Rowader of Target Corporation; Thomas L. Sager of DuPont Company; Brad Smith of Microsoft Corporation; and Reggie M. Turner, Jr. of Clark HIll PLC.

Held at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Diversity Honors Gala will honor those who have made outstanding contributions to diversity in the legal field. It will begin with an awards program in the Starr Theater that combines honors with entertainment, followed by an elegant VIP Dinner Reception in Alice Tully Hall. Last year’s gala sold out with 1,200 attendees, and this year’s ticket sales are on track to do the same.

The gala’s award program will celebrate companies and individuals that have helped shape diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal industry. Dennis W. Archer, who served as president of the American Bar Association and mayor of Detroit, will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Five companies will be honored as Employers of Choice: DHL, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Chevron Corporation, H.J. Heinz Company and Morgan Stanley.

To learn more about MCCA’s Diversity Honors Gala and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.mcca.com or contact Jennifer Chen, Vice President – External Relations, at JenChen@mcca.com or 202-739-5902.

About MCCA
The mission of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association is to advance the hiring, retention, and promotion of diverse attorneys in legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA furthers its mission by publishing research on achieving diversity and best practices in the legal profession, honoring innovative diversity programs with its Employer of Choice and Thomas L. Sager awards, and assisting diverse law students through the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Gay and Lesbian Law Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Founded in 1997, MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has a Southeast regional office in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, go to mcca.com.