MCCA to Honor Diversity Initiatives of Kraft Foods, MillerCoors, Wells Fargo, and Shook, Hardy and Bacon

MCCA to Honor Diversity Initiatives of Kraft Foods,
MillerCoors, Wells Fargo, and Shook, Hardy and Bacon

CHICAGO, IL – The Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Inc. (MCCA) will honor three of the nation’s leading corporate legal departments and spotlight one law firm with diversity awards at its Midwest Region Diversity Dialogue and Awards Program on March 17 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown, 540 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

The event will begin with cocktails at 5:00 p.m., followed by the Diversity Dialogue and Awards program at 6:00 p.m. and the VIP and Employer of Choice Receptions at 7:30 p.m.

Receiving MCCA’s Employer of Choice Award this year are the legal departments of Kraft Foods, MillerCoors and Wells Fargo & Company. They were chosen for demonstrating a commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace. Accepting the awards on behalf of their legal departments will be Marc Firestone, Executive Vice President, Corporate & Legal Affairs, & General Counsel for Kraft Foods; Karen A. Ripley, Chief Legal Officer of MillerCoors; and James Strother, Executive Vice President & General Counsel for Wells Fargo & Company.

The law firm Shook, Hardy and Bacon was selected to receive the Thomas L. Sager Award, named in honor of Thomas L. Sager, MCCA Board member and Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the DuPont Company. This award is given to law firms that demonstrate sustained commitment to improving the hiring, retention and promotion of minority attorneys. Accepting the award for Shook, Hardy and Bacon will be Managing Partner John Murphy.

Recipients will receive the awards during the Diversity Dialogue and Awards program, which will also include a panel discussion of diversity best practices with the award winners. The Diversity Dialogue is part of a professional development series that gives attendees information about award-winning diversity initiatives in their local areas, as well as practical information they can take back to their companies.

The Chicago event is part of an annual series of five programs designed to address issues of diversity in corporate law departments. MCCA Diversity Dialogue and Awards programs are also held in Washington, D.C., New York City, Houston and Los Angeles.

The Minority Corporate Counsel Association advocates for the expanded hiring, promotion, and retention of minority attorneys in corporate 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 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.