Shearman & Sterling is excited to release its 2021 Year in Review for Diversity & Inclusion.

We are part of a profession that is about fighting for and upholding equal justice under the law. As a global law firm, diversity and inclusion are part of Shearman & Sterling’s fabric, interwoven in who we are and all we do. We know that the continued success of our people and our clients are inextricably bound and that the varied perspectives we bring is where our value lies.

2021 was a time for continued reflection and growth alongside a renewed commitment to build upon our existing foundation. We worked to expand upon our existing programs and introduced a number of new initiatives to deliver further change within our firm and wider communities and we are incredibly proud of the collective action we took as a firm.

A few highlights include:

• Introducing Inform to Transform, a quarterly anti-bias training series that brings awareness to biases, both unconscious and conscious, and provides actionable steps to mitigate them.

• Committing to further advancing women and diverse professionals at the firm commemorated by our Mansfield 4.0 Plus Certification.

• Achieving a perfect score of 100 percent on the Corporate Equality Index, a U.S. national benchmarking survey and report which evaluates LGBTQ+-related policies to promote LGBTQ+ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

• Creating our Women Partner Mentoring Circles series where women partners at the firm hosted small-group sessions with women associates and counsel on a variety of topics each quarter.

• Debuting the firm’s first Ombudsperson who acts as a confidential, external and independent resource available to all employees of the Shearman & Sterling community that provides a safe environment to share their experiences.

• Partnering with NJ LEEP and Legal Outreach to host eight high school students, participants in the Legal Outreach or NJ LEEP programs, for a week-long, immersive learning experience on becoming a lawyer and the professional opportunities in the legal industry.

• Continuing our Monthly Open Forums – a safe space for our community to share candid and personal experiences.

• Launching a new partnership with Thrive Scholars by sponsoring a cohort of four motivated and talented low-income students of color who are interested in legal careers within the NYC and Tri-State area.

We look forward to another impactful year in D&I and making even bigger waves this year.

View our 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Year in Review.