Minority Advocates Honor Corporations Leading The Way In Diversity

WASHINGTON, D.C. ─ The Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Inc. (MCCA) will honor three of the nation’s leading corporate legal departments and spotlight a law firm with diversity awards at its Mid-Atlantic Region Diversity Dinner on June 15 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C.

Receiving MCCA’s Employer of Choice Award this year are the legal departments of Capital One, Glaxo SmithKline and Pepco Holdings, Inc. They were chosen for demonstrating a commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace. Accepting the awards on behalf of their legal departments will be Steve Gannon, Deputy General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Capital One; Daniel Troy, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for GlaxoSmithKline; and Kirk Emge Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Pepco Holdings.

The Mid-Atlantic Region offices of Crowell & Moring LLP was chosen to receive the Thomas L. Sager Award, named in honor of Thomas L. Sager, MCCA Board member and Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the DuPont Company. This award is given to law firms that demonstrate sustained commitment to improving the hiring, retention and promotion of minority attorneys. Accepting the award for Crowell & Moring will be Kent A. Gardiner, Chairman.

From 4:00-5:30 p.m., MCCA will also host the Diversity Dialogue, a panel discussion of diversity best practices featuring the evening’s award winners. The Diversity Dialogue is part of a professional development series that gives attendees information about award-winning diversity initiatives in their local areas, as well as practical information they can take back to their companies and firms.

MCCA will carry the Diversity Dialogue live via webstream. Those not able to attend the event can still participate by logging onto www.mcca.com on June 15.

The Washington, D.C., event is part of an annual series of five programs designed to address issues of diversity in corporate law departments. MCCA Diversity Dialogue and Awards programs are also held in Chicago, Houston, New York City and Los Angeles.

The Minority Corporate Counsel Association advocates for the expanded hiring, promotion, and retention of minority attorneys in corporate legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA furthers 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. For more information, go to mcca.com