Association Focus

The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms

The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) was established in July 2001 to encourage major corporations and public entities to use the services of member firms. NAMWOLF assists its members to develop relationships with corporations and in-house counsel and, by doing so, help ensure the long-term survival of firms that are led by minority and women attorneys.

Historically, many corporations interested in diversifying their outside law firm ranks have focused on conducting business with minority and women attorneys at majority firms—efforts that have not always proven successful in promoting diversity. In NAMWOLF’s view, the most effective way for corporations to support diversity in the legal profession is to retain minority and women owned law firms, which tend to hire and promote minority and women lawyers at much higher rates than majority owned firms. In this way, support of those firms leads to greater opportunities in the legal profession for minority and women lawyers.

Yolanda Coly, NAMWOLF’s managing director, has played a pivotal role in bringing firms and corporations together. Since 2004, when she began working for the association, she has secured more than 100 corporate partners and sponsors, each of which have committed to spend at least 5% of their legal outsourcing budget with member firms.

Coly believes that the organization fills an important niche in the profession. “NAMWOLF and other like organizations continue to empower and uplift minorities and women,” she asserts. “One way NAMWOLF does this is by asking public and private entities to allow them to compete fairly for significant outsourced legal work.” It has helped even the playing field for smaller firms by providing the same opportunities to compete for legal work that larger ones have enjoyed for years.In her view, “NAMWOLF continues to create an environment of success for minority and women-owned law firms.”

Beyond promoting its members, NAMWOLF also assists corporations by helping them achieve what often they have been unable to accomplish on their own—greater diversity with regard to their business partners. For example, Accenture credits NAMWOLF for its assistance in achieving the company’s own diversity goals. Joel Stern, Accenture’s deputy general counsel, notes the important role NAMWOLF plays in assisting it choose outside counsel: “We believe in working closely with NAMWOLF to help match our legal needs with the capabilities of minority and women owned firms. We are very active on NAMWOLF’s advisory board, and attend strategic meetings to help it achieve its goals.”Stern points out that NAMWOLF partners with companies that share its vision. “We share NAMWOLF’s passion to promote the entrepreneurial spirit of minority and women-owned law firms.”

NAMWOLF is highly regarded in the profession for its vetting process of outside firms, by which it considers for membership highly qualified and experienced firms owned by minorities and/or women. “Before a law firm becomes a NAMWOLF member, it goes through a rigorous vetting process which lasts six to nine months,” Coly explains. “We look at firms across the country in all practice areas to meet the needs of corporate America. They undergo an extensive application and screening process to ensure they are the highest quality firms. If they meet our standards, we then sit down and meet with them.”

NAMWOLF currently has 62 law firm members, and expects to add another in the next month. NAMWOLF’s membership goal is to establish a blend of firms,dispersed geographically across the nation that represents a variety of expertise in disciplines applicable to the practice of corporate law.

NAMWOLF has developed a seven-part set of criteria that a law firm must meet for admission: (1) a significant corporate law practice; (2) excellence in quality, as evidenced by corporate references, presence on outside counsel approved lists, and other awards and membership; (3) an “AV” rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating system; (4) certification as a minority or woman-owned, operated, managed, and controlled (51% or more); (5) a staff that includes three or more full-time attorneys; (6) headquarters in the U.S. or Puerto Rico; and (7) sufficient professional liability insurance.

In addition to meeting these criteria, NAMWOLF performs independent research on each prospective firm. The association’s law firm committee reviews the collected materials and makes a recommendation regarding membership to the board of directors, with whom the final decision rests.

When hiring outside firms, many companies rely on the thorough due diligence NAMWOLF performs. With access to NAMWOLF’s directory of law firms, corporations have the ability to select minority and womenowned law firms by area of practice and geographic location.

One of the ways NAMWOLF brings firms and companies together is through its Annual Meeting & Law Firm Expo. The event offers career development and legal education seminars, a diversity awards luncheon, and networking opportunities with its members. This annual occasion provides law firms with an opportunity to interview with prospective clients, and also helps firms and corporations create new alliances.

With a cadre of top law firms as its members, coupled with access to the decision makers in corporate America who hire outside firms, NAMWOLF has served as a bridge for firms to reach in-house counsel. And, with so many qualified firms as members, NAMWOLF has made it easier for companies to meet their diversity goals regarding the hiring of outside counsel. DB

Francisco Ramos Jr., Esq., is a freelance writer and partner at the Miami-based offices of Clarke Silvergate Campbell.

From the September/October 2009 issue of Diversity & The Bar^®