Like our clients, we believe diversity and inclusion are the pathways to success and employee fulfillment. Diversity touches every aspect of our firm, our practice and our modern world. We are committed to fostering diversity not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because maintaining a culture of inclusion aids our firm in attracting and retaining the best talent. Our firm also believes that including the diverse perspectives of attorneys from various backgrounds is integral to delivering the best possible service to our clients.

Ford & Harrison has a Diversity Committee comprised of 7 lawyers and 3 administration professionals. The members of the committee are:

Dawn Siler-Nixon, Chair and Diversity and Inclusion Partner
Louis Britt
Lynne Donaghy, Chief Client Development Officer
Ellen Ham
Meg Holman, Chief Strategic Advancement Officer
Ron Kimzey
Matt Rita
Daniel Sulton
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Craig Thorstenson
Alice Trahant, Director of Recruiting
Kay Wolf

The Committee leads the implementation of the firm's strategic diversity plan, the main goals of which are:

I. Goal One - Recruiting

Develop and/or expand upon processes for external recruitment of both new and lateral lawyers and staff, with a focus on creating a diverse and multi-cultural organization to act as a resource to our clients, the communities we live in, our firm, and the legal profession.

II. Goal Two - Education

Identify, develop and/or implement a comprehensive program of education and training opportunities, made available to all partners, associates and staff, designed to review legal issues, identify best practices, and research issues relating to diversity with a focus on recognizing, valuing and effectively managing differences. Focus on making the conversation about diversity a positive part of any training and meeting.

III. Goal Three – Balance

Develop and implement policies and procedures that emphasize the need for a balance between staff and lawyers responsibilities at work and home, placing a priority on family duties and responsibilities, with the goal of promoting a healthy working atmosphere.

IV. Goal Four - Leadership

Develop, expand and/or implement policies and procedures that are designed to increase and enhance partner, associate and staff leadership diversity in all offices and at all levels, with a particular focus on racial/ethnic and gender differences.

Due to the firm's efforts in the area of diversity, Ford & Harrison has been recognized as a 2008 and 2009 Diversity Leader by the Law Department of Sodexo Inc., an international client of the firm and a leading foodservice and facilities management company with an objective to integrate diversity and inclusion into all aspects of its business approach. Ford & Harrison is one of only four law firms worldwide to earn this annual distinction from Sodexo.

In addition, we were recently ranked by Law360 as one of the top 100 law firms with the highest concentration of women partners in the country. In 2010, we were selected as a winner in the company/corporation category for Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2010 Diversity & Inclusion Awards.

Our commitment to diversity is also demonstrated by the involvement our attorneys have in a variety of associations and groups that promote diversity in the legal profession, the business community and our individual cities and neighborhoods. Some examples are:

• African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida 
• Airport Minority Advisory Council
• American Bar Association's Judicial Internship Opportunity Program
• American Bar Association Section of Litigation's Woman Advocate Committee
• Anti-Defamation League
• Arizona Women Lawyers Association
• Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA)
• Associated Builders and Contractors Women's Council
• Association of Women Attorneys
• Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association
• Birmingham Bar Association Women's Section
• Black Women in Sisterhood for Action, Inc. 
• California Women Lawyers Association 
• Center for Women in Philanthropy
• Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers
• Cuban American Bar Association
• DC Commission on Human Rights 
• Disability Connections
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers 
• GAIN - Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network
• George Edgecomb Bar Association 
• Georgia Association for Women Lawyers 
• Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America 
• Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers 
• Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Hispanic National Bar Association 
• International Association of Defense Counsel Diversity Committee
• IndusBar of Georgia, Association of South Asian Lawyers in Georgia
• Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association
• J.L. Turner Legal Association (Dallas African-American Bar Association)
• Latin American Association 
• Memphis Urban League Young Professionals 
• Memphis Association of Women Attorneys
• Minnesota State Bar Association's Minority Clerkship Program
• Minnesota Women Lawyers
• National Association of African Americans in Human Resources 
• National Bar Association 
• National Conference of Women's Bar Associations 
• National Employment Law Council
• New York Women's Bar Association
• Professional Women's Council
• South Carolina Black Lawyers Association
• South Florida Minority Law Student Mentoring Program 
• Women in Pensions