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Building a Strong Team
Our people are our strength, and we’re working to build the most talented, diverse, innovative and inclusive team. A diverse workforce provides the highest value for clients by bringing a variety of perspectives to forge solutions.
Internal Affinity Groups foster collaboration in support of our DEI initiatives. They provide space for participants to support one another, share challenges and opportunities, and contribute to building a more inclusive workplace for all.
Our firm culture is committed to recruiting, developing, promoting and retaining women attorneys. The Reinhart Women’s Attorney Forum (RWAF) provides opportunities for women to network, mentor and share business skills and strategies. RWAF mentoring groups of senior, mid-level and junior attorneys meet regularly to discuss practice development, reputation building within the legal community and other concerns. The RWAF also sponsors conferences and events for women in the communities we serve.
Rebecca Greene, Women Attorney’s Forum Chair
This group of LGBTQ+ attorneys, paraprofessionals, staff and Allies works together to make Reinhart, and the legal profession, a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community. They strengthen relationships across the firm, support external networking and outreach with LGBTQ+ associations, assist with recruiting and provide a non-threatening avenue to raise concerns to management if necessary. Allies play a critical role in the group, offering proactive, transparent support for members of this community in their fight for equality.
Jess Polakowski and Kate Westfall, LGBTQ+ Affinity Group Co-Chairs
The Reinhart Veterans Affinity Group includes both veterans and active military service members. The group coordinates recognition efforts for various federal holidays (including Memorial Day and Independence Day) and educates colleagues on issues, challenges and topics related to military service.
Shawn Lovell, Veterans Affinity Group Chair
Our goal is to provide a supportive and welcoming space for working mothers. The group provides a platform for employees to connect in meaningful ways and share information and resources relevant to raising a family while balancing a rewarding career. We’re developing a mentorship program for new parents to address the challenges of navigating maternity and parental leaves, including work ramp-down and ramp-up periods.
We cast a wide net to attract qualified law students to our Summer Program and align with partners such as minority student bar associations, minority job fairs, diversity-focused Chamber of Commerce events and a Diversity Outreach Shadow Program.
We also sponsor the Honorable Charles N. Clevert, Jr. Mentoring and Internship Program and the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Work Study Program to foster interest in legal careers among middle and high school students.
Mansfield Rule 6.0
Reinhart is working to close the gender and diversity gap in the legal profession. To put our ideals into action, we achieved certification in our first year under the Mansfield Rule and are continuing our certification journey with the Mansfield Rule Certification program administered by Diversity Lab. This national initiative is the standard by which law firms track and measure that they are affirmatively considering at least 30 percent women, lawyers from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, lawyers with disabilities and LGBTQ+ lawyers for top leadership roles, senior-level lateral hiring, promotions into the equity partnership and participation in client pitch meetings.
We know that our clients benefit from solutions that reflect the integration of diverse experiences and perspectives, and we believe that our workplace is richer when it more closely reflects the makeup of our communities. Reinhart created the Bridges Program to promote equitable access to opportunities for growth and development among candidates from diverse backgrounds. This series of initiatives and outreach reflects our commitment to building and sustaining greater diversity within our profession. Our goal is to provide resources and opportunities for others while simultaneously expanding our talent pipeline.
These annual receptions hosted in two of our primary offices provide students with an opportunity to meet and interact with Reinhart attorneys. Serving as an introduction, we later invite reception participants to join the Reinhart Bridges Advisory Program.
This program aims to bridge the gap between law school and the practice of law while students are still in school. We pair each student with a Reinhart attorney, and they meet informally throughout the year to assist students in understanding what it is like to be a practicing attorney in the law firm setting.
This provides an opportunity for two diverse 1L students to join Reinhart’s Summer Associate Program. The students participate in our Summer Program like our 2L Summer Associates, working on projects offered by a variety of practice groups, attending social events, and taking part in practice activities. Fellows are evaluated just like our 2Ls participating in the Summer Program, and this fellowship can lead to an offer to join Reinhart’s Summer Associate Program the following summer.
Reinhart associates begin a coaching relationship with a mentor during the Associate Training Program (ATP). After completing ATP, the pairs continue to meet as part of the Accelerate Program to set goals, identify strategies, examine challenges and celebrate wins. Accelerate helps address associates’ individual practice development needs, particularly those in their second through fourth years of practice.
If they elect to participate, first year associates from minority groups are assigned an advocate from the DEI Committee. The advocate’s role is to build a relationship with the associate and promote them across the firm.
When associates advance, the DEI Committee works with department heads to pair interested attorneys from minority groups with a sponsor. Equity shareholders from the same department as the associate, as well as members of the DEI Committee, are considered as eligible sponsors.
