Diversity Honors Gala Adds Sponsors, Steering Members

Diversity Honors Gala Adds Sponsors, Steering Members

Washington, DC − Preparations are continuing for the inaugural Diversity Honors Gala, sponsored by the The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), with the addition of high-profile sponsors and members of the steering committee. Celebrating diversity in the legal profession, the gala is set for September 27 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

Several new sponsors are supporting the event: DuPont and law firm McKool Smith at the $50,000 level; and Macy’s, Inc., Target Corporation, Mass Mutual Financial Group and law firms Paul Hastings and Winston & Strawn LLP at the $25,000 level. The law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius is contributing $15,000, and Scripps Networks Interactive and law firm Mayer-Brown have each committed $5,000. They join co-sponsors Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ($50,000 level) and law firm McGuireWoods ($25,000 level).

Four more legal industry leaders have joined the gala’s prestigious steering committee: Esta E. Stecher, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Goldman, Sachs & Co.; Jim Rowader, Vice President and General Counsel of Target Corporation; Christine A. Edwards, Partner of Winston & Strawn LLP; and Stephen M. Cutler, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Other committee members include Chair Amy W. Schulman, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Pfizer, Inc.; Co-chair Robert E. Bostrom, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Freddie Mac; Evan R. Chesler, Partner, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP; Steven H. Davis, Chairman/Partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP; Thomas L. Sager, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of DuPont; Brad Smith, General Counsel and Senior Vice President for Microsoft Corp.; Grace E. Speights, Partner and Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee for Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP; and Michael T. Williams, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Sony Electronics, Inc.

Members of the Steering Committee are working to recruit attendees and presenters for the gala, as well as being point people for fundraising efforts.

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 Oscar-like awards program in the Starr Theater that combines honors with entertainment, followed by an elegant VIP Dinner Reception in Alice Tully Hall. About 1,200 attendees are expected.

Five Employers of Choice – one each from five different regions of the country – will be recognized. They will be honored for demonstrating an exemplary commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace. MCCA will also recognize Diversity Innovators, corporate legal departments and the law firms that serve them who implement outstanding diversity programs. One individual will be honored with MCCA’s first Lifetime Achievement Award. The recipient will be someone who has made important and lasting contributions to advancing a society that fully appreciates, celebrates and recognizes the value of diversity.

To learn more about MCCA’s Diversity Honors Gala and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.mcca.com or contact Jennifer Chen, Director of Special Events at JenChen@mcca.com or 202-739-5902.

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.