On October 31, 2018, Venable was recognized by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) as both a 2018 "Top Performer" and a "Compass Award" winner during its annual meeting in Washington, DC. Top Performers are LCLD's most active member corporations and law firms, while the Compass Award recognizes those members who personally attend LCLD's annual meeting and participate in the Fellows and Pathfinder programs, as well as at least one pipeline program, which includes mentoring or the 1L Scholars program. That the firm earned both awards signals recognition of Venable's strong commitment to building a more diverse firm and a more inclusive legal profession.
LCLD is the premier organization focused on fostering diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Venable has participated in LCLD since 2013, and our commitment to the organization's programs has grown steadily since. Each year the firm sponsors a mid-career lawyer to participate in the LCLD Fellows program and two mid-level associates to participate in the LCLD Pathfinder program. These programs provide diverse attorneys with opportunities to build their leadership skills and networks.
Venable annually hosts diverse first-year law students who have been selected as LCLD 1L Scholars after an application and interview process. The 1L Scholars become summer associates with Venable and work at a corporate partner to gain experience with and insight into working in a legal setting. In 2018, Venable hosted 1L Scholars in four offices.
Larry Gesner, managing partner with Venable, said, "Venable's commitment to diversity and inclusion is one of the firm's core values and a significant focus of our leadership team. Our mission is to deliver the highest-quality legal services in the most efficient manner, and we pride ourselves in identifying, recruiting, and retaining the best, brightest, and most capable attorneys and legal staff from all walks of life."
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Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs and individuals. With more than 800 attorneys across the country, including California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients' business objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, please visit www.Venable.com.