Our Commitment to Inclusion in the Legal Profession | Venable LLP
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Inclusion

Guided by the principle that our clients are best served when we build a diversity of perspectives into the solutions that we offer, Venable continues to grow as a law firm where all voices are represented and heard and where everyone has a chance to fulfill their potential.

To realize the true power of an inclusive workforce with people of all different backgrounds and experiences, and thereby enhance its services, an organization must encourage an environment where all professionals feel supported and fairly treated, and have a sense of belonging and opportunity for development. With this as our goal, Venable has adopted a multipronged approach to recruit, retain, and promote talent of all backgrounds and experiences.

We are proud of our progress and our resolve to nurture an inclusive environment. We are continuously seeking out highly skilled lawyers, paraprofessionals, and support staff from a wide range of backgrounds, and developing and implementing programs, outreach, and mentoring opportunities that promote personal and professional growth. We strive to provide everyone with the opportunity for growth and development of their skills at Venable.

Recruit
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Venable's Hiring Committee makes a concerted effort to interview a broad, inclusive group of candidates who have a demonstrated record of success, including academic achievement and other credentials. We believe that hiring professionals and other employees with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives enhances the quality of our services to clients.

Careers
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Venable is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Discrimination and harassment have no place in employment, and Venable has a zero-tolerance policy.

Retain
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Our leadership over the years has been inclusive. Venable was the first Am Law 100 law firm to have an African American managing partner, and today close to half of the members of our governing board are women and historically underrepresented persons. Women and historically underrepresented partners lead three of our four divisions, our largest office, prominent committees, and several of our premier practice groups, including Privacy and Data Security, IP Transactions, FDA, Financial Services, Antitrust, Commercial Real Estate, Employee Benefits, Labor & Employment, IP Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Patent Prosecution.

Promote
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Venable supports several affinity groups, which are listed below. These groups are open to all attorneys and contribute to the inclusive culture of the firm. The groups focus on professional development, networking, client development, and educational opportunities for all lawyers. Participation in an affinity group is entirely voluntary. The groups generally provide a forum where lawyers can discuss or debate matters of interest, foster understanding and collegiality within the firm, and develop networks and contacts in the firm. Participation in an affinity group has no effect on a lawyer’s status in the firm or on their terms of employment.

  • APEX (Asian Pacific Excellence)
  • LGBTQ @ Venable
  • VAMOS (Venable Attorneys Making Our Success)
  • VSN (Venable Success Network)
  • WAVe (Women Attorneys at Venable)
  • Allyship Initiative

Communities
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One of Venable’s greatest strengths is its service to the communities in which its professionals live and work. Through the firm’s philanthropic and pro bono efforts, our attorneys and staff contribute both time and money to numerous causes supporting educational and social justice initiatives, and provide legal assistance to individuals and organizations in need. Over the past 10 years, the Venable Foundation, Inc. has donated more than $25 million, primarily to nonprofit organizations that provide needed services to low-income individuals and marginalized groups. Attorneys across the firm allocate funding in their respective communities, with a focus on direct giving to maximize our impact. Along with supporting more than 500 organizations, we have awarded nearly a million dollars in grants to legal aid societies and other groups working to reduce poverty, homelessness, sexual violence, and human trafficking.

Learn more about the Venable Foundation.

Venable Foundation

The Foundation’s work is complemented by Venable’s pro bono practice, much of which is focused on cases involving indigent minorities and victims of violence. Recent accomplishments include filing a Supreme Court amicus brief to protect 700,000 Dreamers from deportation, obtaining asylum for an LGBTQ client from Jamaica who suffered repeated acts of violence, securing the release from prison of a DC man who was wrongfully incarcerated for 24 years, and achieving an important victory in a class action suit to end the Department of Homeland Security’s practice of arresting undocumented immigrants during green card interviews. Our lawyers have also donated their time to serve as nonpartisan poll monitors, helping safeguard voting rights for all Americans.

Learn more about our pro bono work.

Pro Bono