I, Richard Hays, personally commit to the following:

Personal Commitment 

• I commit to promoting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at all levels of the firm. 
• I will promote equity by actively reviewing the firm’s hiring, promotion, and compensation processes, by evaluating improvements where needed, and by working with leadership to implement changes successfully. 
• I will use my voice and leadership position to promote and strongly encourage participation in the firm’s DEI initiatives and activities. 
• I will reach out to diverse associates recommended by the firm’s Practice Group Diversity Partners to build relationships, receive feedback, express support, and assist in career navigation. I will also encourage other firm leaders to do the same.
• I will reach out to other law firm leaders to exchange ideas about how to increase DEI in our profession and share lessons learned from my experiences.

Organizational Commitment 

• We will continue to attract and hire talented entry level and lateral candidates from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
• We will work to create opportunities for advancement, promotion, and leadership for historically underrepresented attorneys at the firm.
• We will continue to offer and promote educational activities and pro bono/community service opportunities around racial and social justice issues as part of our Racial Justice Initiative.
• We will increase accountability by requiring practice groups to outline diversity goals and action plans, and report on progress to firm leadership on an annual basis through our Practice Group Diversity Partner program. 
• We will recognize attorneys who are actively contributing to the firm’s DEI efforts, engaging in leadership activities, and advancing our core values in the area. 
• We will provide opportunities to engage in dialogue across the firm about our different lived experiences.
• We will continue to provide DEI learning opportunities through trainings, guest speakers, career development programs, and the funding of attorneys second year and above to attend diversity conferences and networking events. 
• We will continue to follow the Mansfield Rule when making leadership appointments.
• We will continue to partner with our clients seeking to increase the diversity of their teams and facilitate client business development relationships with underrepresented attorneys at the firm.