I, Lisa Schmidt, personally commit to the following:

Personal Commitment

• Attend, contribute to, and learn from the members of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity to note and implement best practices in developing strategies, policies, procedures, and practices to support diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Work to maintain and continuously evaluate our diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy for Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. (the “Firm”) to recruit, hire, develop, and advance diverse attorneys.
• Continue to assess our talent management processes to make sure they support our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
• Create diversity pipeline projects at the high school, college, and law school levels.
• Meet with LCLD Fellows and Pathfinders twice a year to discuss their experiences with the Firm.
• Continue to mentor and sponsor diverse associates.
• Continue to attend and participate in our Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Network and Women’s Initiative’s meetings.
• Use my platform as leader of Delaware’s largest law firm to support and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the Delaware legal community.

Organizational Commitment

• Support the efforts of the Firm’s Chief Diversity Director, Doneene Keemer Damon, Immediate Past President, to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, including through the Firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Network, Women’s Initiative, and Wellness Initiative.
• Work with the Chief Diversity Director to further refine a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy for the Firm to recruit, hire, develop, and advance diverse attorneys.
• Create diversity pipeline projects at the high school, college, and law school levels.
• Continue to solicit the recommendations and suggestions of the Diversity and Inclusion Network, an internal group that was created to provide associates with the opportunity to speak directly with the Firm President, Chief Diversity Director, and Chair and Vice Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
• Assess our talent management processes to make sure they support our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
• Support diversity training and programming.