Serengeti Law and MCCA partner for “Serengeti Gives” Initiative

Serengeti Law and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association partner for “Serengeti Gives” initiative
to advance diversity in the legal profession

Scholarships for minority law students generated by referrals of new customers to Serengeti

WASHINGTON D.C./SEATTLE, WA – Serengeti Law and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Inc. (“MCCA”) today announced a partnership in connection with the “Serengeti Gives” program, an initiative to promote diversity in the legal profession by providing financial support to minority law students. For each new customer referred to Serengeti by a law department or law firm, Serengeti will contribute $1,000 in their name to the MCCA’s Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. To launch the Serengeti Gives program, Serengeti will fund a scholarship for a diverse student enrolling in law school this fall. Any in-house counsel or law firm attorney wishing to refer a law department colleague to Serengeti through this program may participate by visiting: www.serengetilaw.com/diversity.

The Serengeti and MCCA partnership comes at a time when the diversification of the legal profession faces some of its toughest challenges. According to a recent American Bar Association report on the topic, the current recession reduced funding for diversity initiatives and led to downsizing that disproportionately affected lawyer diversity—thereby undoing past gains. “In today’s tough financial environment, MCCA is especially grateful to Serengeti for creating this new diversity program as a way to help fund the educational goals of tomorrow’s diverse leaders,” said Veta Richardson, Executive Director of MCCA.

“Serengeti is eager to support the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program and especially proud to partner with MCCA, which is widely recognized as the premier organization promoting diversity in the legal profession,” said Rob Thomas, Vice President of Strategic Development for Serengeti. “We were searching for a meaningful way to thank the many Serengeti users, both law departments and law firms, who refer new customers to us. We can’t think of a better way to show our appreciation for such referrals than by supporting this program, which is important to our customers and to our profession.”

Started in 2004 by MCCA, the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program primes the diversity pipeline by helping law students from disadvantaged backgrounds meet financial needs, such as the payment of tuition, books, and fees, in addition to exposing them to a group of leaders in the profession who mentor their entry into the profession. Said Richardson, “MCCA is incredibly proud of the students who are a part of our scholarship program. We look forward to assisting the development of future generations of young lawyers, with help from corporate law departments and law firms who are also committed to creating and maintaining inclusive workplaces.”

Serengeti Law provides Serengeti Tracker, the most widely used and highest rated system for legal matter management and e-billing, with over 120,000 users in 180 countries. Serengeti Tracker includes online document and contract management, electronic bill auditing, automated budget management, and performance tracking. In-house counsel can also create configurable management reports online to analyze trends in spending, track status and results, and create performance benchmarks. More information is available at: www.serengetilaw.com.

The MCCA advocates for the expanded hiring, promotion, and retention of minority lawyers 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 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 LGBT Bar Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel. For more information, see www.mcca.com.

Veta T. Richardson is the Executive Director of MCCA, CEO of Diversity & the Bar, and a member of the Advisory Council of Women Business Executives for CapitalOne.