Kevin P. Chavous
Partner
Founded in 1906 by attorneys who were barred from major firms because of their religion, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP has a rich history of innovation in legal services, technology, and diversity. The Washington, DC office is dedicated to using its talents not only across its more than 25 practice areas, but also in pro bono activities that benefit both the local community and broad policy issues. Recipients of the office’s pro bono services include the DC Bar Pro Bono Legal Clinic, the DC Bar Community Economic Development Program, and the Tahirih Justice Center, which assists women and girls fleeing human rights abuses and violence.
(L to R): Veta Richardson, MCCA and Kevin P. Chavous, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Led by Kevin P. Chavous, partner and chair of the firm-wide diversity committee, 17 percent of the attorneys in the DC office are minorities and 31 percent are women. Among the office’s new hires, 17 percent are minorities and 42 percent are women. Within the partner ranks, 12 percent are minorities and 22 percent are women. Chairman Duane C. Quaini, partner–litigation and business regulation, has guided the firm to its impressive record. Overall, 36 percent of the firm’s attorneys are women and 16 percent are minorities.
In 2004, Sonnenschein began implementing an aggressive firm-wide diversity plan. This comprehensive document touches every aspect of Sonnenschein’s business. The plan was amended in 2005 to expand its reach beyond attorneys to all employees; to change the methods of identifying diverse people to more accurately reflect progress; and to revise initially cautious targets to more appropriate levels. “My partners approved one of the most aggressive diversity plans in the country. We have just begun and I am sure that we will continue to be steadfast in implementing our diversity initiative,” says Chavous.
To ensure that each partner actively contributes to the firm’s diversity initiative, Sonnenschein has made “action on diversity” a key component of its annual partner compensation. As part of the performance appraisal process, each partner is required to complete a self-evaluation, which is then reviewed by the management committee. Evaluation criteria include regularly assigning interesting and relevant work to women and minority attorneys, including women and diverse attorneys on client development efforts, and promoting client contact for women and minority attorneys.
As an additional check, the full-time diversity manager reviews department assignments each month and works with practice group heads to determine if assignments are distributed equitably.
The result of these and other practices is that Sonnenschein has accomplished what some experts have thought impossible: Its retention rate for minority associates is higher than its rate for all associates.
Sonnenschein was named on several listings by the Multicultural Law Magazine, ranking ninth for partners and tenth for women. The Washington, DC office was named one of the “50 Best Places to Work” in greater Washington by the Washington Business Journal.
From the November/December 2005 issue of Diversity & The Bar®