"Some attorneys will build lifelong careers at Kelley Drye, others will be with us for a much shorter period. No matter how long their stay, our goal is to ensure that each and every individual feels respected, included and valued.
Our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment is a crucial factor in our ability to provide the best possible service to our ever broadening client base. Kelley Drye prides itself on not only being a great multi-service firm, but a great place to work.
For us, diversity isn't just a necessity, it's a priority."
Sarah Reid, Partner
Chair, Diversity Committee
Kelley Drye & Warren's commitment to diversity and equal opportunity in the practice of law encourages us to devote significant time and resources to the recruitment and retention of the most qualified attorneys regardless of race, gender, gender expression and gender identity, religious affiliation, age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, veteran status or physical capability.
This commitment is essential to the creation of a workplace that welcomes differences amongst our employees. However, our focus is not limited to these important characteristics alone. We embrace these, as well as other, less defined aspects of our employees' individuality, such as varying perspectives and different life experiences. This allows us to cultivate an environment that values inclusion:
one that celebrates the uniqueness of our employees and empowers them to succeed. This approach contributes to our collective growth and success as a firm.
Kelley Drye's Diversity & Inclusion Committee was established in 2004 and focuses on attracting, developing, retaining and promoting talented attorneys of all backgrounds.
One of the Committee's top priorities is to develop internal awareness to assist everyone at the Firm in understanding the value of diversity and what each individual can do to support and promote it.
To effectively accomplish this, the Firm hired a full-time Diversity Administrator in 2007. The Diversity & Inclusion Committee Members are:
Sarah L. Reid, Chair (Partner, Litigation/NY)
Robert B. Adams (Partner, Corporate/NY)
Pamela Bruzzese-Szczygiel (Partner, Corporate/NY)
Kathleen W. Cannon (Partner, International Trade/DC)
Karyn Corlett Fulton (Partner, Real Estate/NY)
Barbara E. Hoey (Partner, Labor/NY)
James J. Kirk (Managing Partner, Real Estate/NY)
Michael C. Lynch (Partner, Litigation/NY)
Lauri A. Mazzuchetti (Partner, Litigation/NJ)
Susan J. Onuma (Partner, Corporate/NY)
Nicholas J. Panarella (Partner, Litigation/NY)
Donna L. Wilson (Partner, Litigation/DC)
Stephen A. Wood (Partner, Litigation/CH)
Danielle Fisher (Associate, Litigation/DC)
Veronica D. Jackson (Associate, Litigation/DC)
Lisa Khandhar (Associate, Litigation/NY)
Wook Kim (Associate, Litigation/NY)
Matthew C. Luzadder (Associate, Litigation/CH)
Damon W. Suden (Associate, Litigation/NY)
Recognizing the achievements and efforts of others in the continuous effort to increase diversity in the profession, the Firm is a member and/or proud sponsor of various organizations including:
Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program
Equal Justice American Law Student Fellowship Program
Flex Time Lawyers LLC
Hispanic National Bar Association
Inner City Scholarship Fund Job Opportunities Program
Lavender Law Conference
Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association
Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA)
National Council for Research on Women
Northeast Black Law Students Association
Practising Attorneys for Law Students (PALS)
Services & Advocacy for GLBT Seniors (SAGE)
Women in Law Leadership Academy
Women of Color Leadership Institute
- Two Kelley Drye summer associates have the opportunity to spend half of the summer with JPMorgan Chase. During the second half of the summer, the selected summer associates are located at the offices of JPMorgan Chase and work directly with JPMorgan Chase attorneys to gain significant exposure to financial services law.
Those summer associates receive the same salary and benefits as the summer associates who work at Kelley Drye for the entire summer, and stay actively involved in the Kelley Drye summer program.
- At the request of retired partner Francis Sogi, in 1997 the Firm established the Francis Y. Sogi Scholarship at the University of Hawaii Law School which enables an eligible first or second year law student to receive a scholarship funded by retired partner Francis Sogi to defray the expenses associated with traveling and
living in New York City while participating in the Summer Associate Program. The Sogi Scholar receives the same salary and benefits as all other summer associates.
- We also participate in the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Diversity Fellowship Program, which allows one first-year law student an opportunity to work as a summer associate with the Firm. This student also receives the same benefits and salary as all other summer associates.
- Our efforts are not limited to our New York office. Our Washington, D.C. office has an active partnership with the D.C. Women's Bar Association, and participates in the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program.
Kelley Drye is a signatory to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Restatement and Reaffirmation of Goals of New York Law Firms and Corporate Legal Departments for Increasing Minority Representation and Retention, and the Statement of Goals of New York Law Firms and Legal Departments for the Retention and Promotion of Women.
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