Page 30 - Sheppard Mullin Capabilities Overview Prepared for Regeneron

D&I Recruiting
Sheppard Mullin is constantly working to innovate its approach to recruiting, both at the entry and lateral levels. From summer associate to equity partner candidates, Sheppard Mullin strives to recruit the top talent in the field while emphasizing the Firm’s deep commitment to Diversity & Inclusion. Several recent accomplishments and key programs include:
• Our diversity demographics consistently compare favorably to, or outpace, NALP’s national data. We have improved our percentages for both women partners and partners of color in each of the past five years.
• Sheppard Mullin received Certification Plus status for the first four iterations after becoming one of only 44 law firms that signed onto the first iteration of the Mansfield Rule. The Mansfield Rule Certification measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women and attorneys of color for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and senior lateral positions. To receive Certification Plus status, we demonstrated that in addition to considering diverse candidate pools at or above the required threshold, we have achieved actual representation of at least 30 percent women and lawyers of color in key leadership roles, equity partner promotions and lateral hires. Sheppard Mullin served on the Mansfield 3.0 and 4.0 Task Forces and is currently working toward Mansfield 5.0 certification.
• We have innovative recruiting programs for law students, including:
○ Rock Your Interviews events – in which diverse 1L law students are invited to Sheppard Mullin’s offices for panel discussions that prepare them for On Campus Interviewing, as well as opportunities to network with Sheppard Mullin lawyers.
○ Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) 1L Scholar Program – in which we partner with LCLD and select clients to host diverse 1L law students for a summer split between Sheppard Mullin and the client.
○ Latino Law Clerks city-wide reception – held in our downtown Los Angeles office, this reception is co-sponsored by the Mexican American Bar Association, the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, and the Hispanic National Bar Association.
○ Our affinity group for LGBTQ+ attorneys, Out At Sheppard, appoints liaisons to track the progress of and connect with LGBTQ+ law student candidates throughout the Fall recruiting process. Affinity group members are also actively engaged with law school LGBTQ+ affinity groups (e.g. Outlaw) throughout the school year and regularly host events associated with law school recruiting.
○ Similarly, Diversity & Inclusion Attorney Network, our affinity group for attorneys of color works with law student affinity groups and law school leadership to host and sponsor informational and networking sessions, workshops, and mock interviews, all of which are aimed at educating and preparing diverse law students for post-graduation employment.
○ Affinity group leaders and liaisons track the progress of diverse law students candidates throughout the recruitment process.
○ Established in 2020, the Sheppard Mullin Endowed Scholarship with UCLA School of Law is awarded underrepresented students with strong academic achievements who demonstrate a financial need and who have overcome significant obstacles in life.
○ The Guy N. Halgren Diversity Fellowship for law school students was established in 2022. The fellowship is named in honor of Guy Halgren, chairman emeritus, who served as Sheppard Mullin’s chairman for 20 years, from 2001 to 2021, for his longstanding commitment to creating a Firm culture that values and celebrates diversity and inclusion. Every year, Sheppard Mullin will select three qualified first-year law school students and award each a $35,000 scholarship to be paid in three installments over the course of their law school education.
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