WASHINGTON ─ To honor those who have made outstanding contributions to building diversity in the legal field, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) will hold its inaugural Diversity Honors Gala on September 27 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. During the gala, select corporate legal departments and law firms will be recognized, and MCCA will bestow its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.

The red-carpet evening will begin with an Oscar-like awards program in the Starr Theater that combines honors with entertainment, followed by an elegant VIP Dinner Reception in Alice Tully Hall. Five Employers of Choice – one each from five different regions of the country – will be recognized. They will be honored for demonstrating an exemplary commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace.

MCCA will also recognize Diversity Innovators, corporate legal departments and the law firms that serve them who implement outstanding diversity programs.

One individual will be honored with MCCA’s first Lifetime Achievement Award. The recipient will be someone who has made important and lasting contributions to advancing a society that fully appreciates, celebrates and recognizes the value of diversity.

The Diversity Honors Gala is being organized by a prestigious steering committee that includes Robert E. Bostrom, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Freddie Mac; Evan R. Chesler, Partner, Craveth Swain & Moore LLP; Stephen H. Davis, Chairman/Partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP; Thomas L. Sager, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of DuPont; Amy W. Shulman, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Pfizer, Inc.; Brad Smith, General Counsel and Senior Vice President for Microsoft Corp.; Grace E. Speights, Partner and Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee for Morgan Lewis & Bocklus LLP; and Michael T. Williams, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Sony Electronics, Inc. More industry leaders are expected to join the committee soon.

The cost of the gala will be underwritten by sponsorships. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has committed $50,000 in support, and the law firm McGuireWoods LLP will be a sponsor at the $25,000 level. MCCA will welcome other sponsors for the event.

“At the Diversity Honors Gala, we will celebrate the best of the best and display their achievements in a national spotlight,” said Veta T. Richardson, Executive Director of MCCA. “These organizations and individuals are true leaders in diversity, and they set an example for the rest of the legal community to follow.”

The mission of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association is to advance the hiring, retention, and promotion of diverse attorneys in legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCAfurthers its mission by publishing research on achieving diversity and best practices in the legal profession, honoring innovative diversity programs with its Employer of Choice and Thomas L. Sager awards, and assisting diverse law students through the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Gay and Lesbian Law Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Founded in 1997, MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has a Southeast regional office in Atlanta, Ga.