Michael Nannes
Managing Partner
In 1956, Dickstein Shapiro LLP opened its Washington, DC office, now its home base. The office is home to more than 275 attorneys, with practice areas that include legislative and regulatory, complex dispute resolution, government contracts, bankruptcy, and energy, as well as litigation, corporate, and intellectual property.
(L to R): Veta T. Richardson of MCCA; Michael Nannes of Dickstein Shapiro LLP; and A.B. Cruz of The E.W. Scripps Company
"Culture is critically important to any organization, and at Dickstein Shapiro, it is a key point of emphasis," says Managing Partner Michael Nannes. "We in the legal profession must live our principles, live our culture, and impart it to the next generation of attorneys. By showing that diversity is important to each and every one of us, we can make a difference." Fifteen percent of the DC office's attorneys are minorities and 34 percent are women. In the partner ranks, five percent of equity partners and 35 percent of income partners in the Washington office are lawyers of color, while 14 percent of the office's equity partners and nearly a third of the income partners are women. More than 30 percent of the office's new attorneys are minorities, and 50 percent are women.
The firm established a diversity committee in 2001, which spearheads original ideas to make Dickstein Shapiro a compelling place to work. In one case, the firm instituted financial incentives for partners who advance the firm's diversity efforts. Additionally, the committee decisions are based on feedback solicited from associates, not partners' self-reports.
The diversity committee also works closely with other firm committees to foster important initiatives, such as the "buddy program" started by the professional development committee, which pairs all laterals with a tenured Dickstein attorney. Through these professional friendships, lateral hires learn to navigate the subtle nuances necessary to thrive at the firm. Dickstein Shapiro launched a Diversity Scholarship as part of its ongoing efforts to promote the firm to diverse future attorneys. The firm will offer up to three $15,000 scholarships each year. Selection criteria will include academic and professional experience, as well as the applicant's reflection of the firm's core values.
Dickstein Shapiro's efforts have been recognized nationally and locally, within and beyond the legal profession. In 2006 alone, Dickstein Shapiro was recognized as one of the "Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity" by MultiCultural Law magazine, and was ranked number 10 on the American Lawyer's A-List. Vault's "Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms, 2006 Edition," ranked Dickstein Shapiro among the top five law firms for overall diversity. In addition, the firm received the prestigious Vincent E. Reed Award from The Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for its ongoing work with the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The Washington Business Journal named it one of the "50 Best Places to Work in Greater Washington," and Washingtonian magazine ranked it among the six best law firms in the Washington, DC metro area at which to work.
From the November/December 2006 issue of Diversity & The Bar®