Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cooley LLP
Joe Conroy founded and ran a software development company and practiced law in a variety of fields before becoming CEO of Cooley in 2008. Under Joe's leadership, the firm has been rated a Fortune 100 Best Company to Work For and a top company for diversity, and has been active in LCLD.
“The state of diversity in the legal profession is woeful,” Joe says in a video on the firm’s website. “It’s extraordinarily important to our clients and to the folks that work in our firm. We’re devoted to this notion of being creative and being entrepreneurial, and those don’t happen if you have a homogenous workforce.”
As part of LCLD's Leaders at the Front initiative, Joe created a Leader's Pledge detailing his personal and organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read Joe's pledge here.
Cooley’s diversity initiatives include the Minority Associates Group, an affinity group for diverse, non-partner lawyers and an awareness month celebrating diversity across the firm. The firm also participates in the OnRamp Fellowship Program, which helps experienced female lawyers get back to work after time away. Cooley was also an early adopter of the 1988 Bar Association of San Francisco’s minority hiring and advancement timetable.
Cooley was named an LCLD Top Performer in 2021.
Joined LCLD 2012
Highlights of LCLD Participation
Fellows Program
Hosted Leadership Lunch (2017, 2016, 2015)
Fellows nominated:
2023: Robert Earles; 2022: Sara Semnani; 2021: Dana Moss; 2020: Calise Cheng; 2019: Tanisha James; 2018: Jonie Kondracki; 2017: Michelle Schulman; 2016: Reuben Chen; 2015: DeAnna D. Allen; 2014: Jessica Valenzuela Santamaria; 2013: Joseph Michael Drayton
Pathfinder Program
Pathfinders selected:
2023: Christopher Andrews, Sangitha Palaniappa; 2022: Brian Focarino, Cameron Vanderwall; 2021: Danielle Pierre; 2020: Dena Chen; 2019: Sophia Rios, Alex Weaver; 2018: Janiece Jenkins, Kimberly Nguyen; 2017: Dee Bansal, Carlos Ramirez; 2016: Brandon Fenn, Bethany Lobo
1L LCLD Scholars Program
Scholars hosted:
2021: Chidera Onyeoziri, Annie Beveridge, Lauren Hernandez, Tyler Price, Faduma Nur, Cy Ray, Azucena Marquez, Alexis Buz, Isabella Berkley, Rhea George, Angela Zhao, Beatrice Pollard; 2016: Kristin Beale, Michael Clegg, Elena Mercado; 2015: Alysha M. Naik, Jonathan F. Ondrejko, Deeva V. Shah, Jayme Staten
Success in Law School Mentoring Program
Mentors Provided: 2019, 2017
Attendance
Annual Meeting (2018, 2017, 2015)
Member: Joe Conroy
Diversity Professionals: Joe DuBuque, Carrie A. Wagner
Communications: Dan Kahn
