Retaining Our Diverse Talent

We believe that meaningful diversity within the firm requires that every lawyer be afforded a genuine opportunity for personal and professional growth.  To this end, we are committed to providing all of our lawyers with the resources, experience, and support necessary to succeed.  Specifically, we have undertaken several major initiatives to ensure that our women and racial/ethnic minority (R/EM) lawyers receive every opportunity to achieve personal growth, career satisfaction, and professional success at the firm.

Some of these efforts include:

• Diversity Committee.  Our long-standing Diversity Committee brings together associates, counsel, and partners, and a designated liaison from our Management Committee in a concerted and focused effort to foster a diverse workplace.  The Diversity Committee works with our firm's leadership to retain and promote lawyers of diverse experiences and backgrounds, to encourage open dialogue on diversity issues, and to maintain an environment in which diversity of all types can flourish.  The Diversity Committee publishes regular Diversity Update posts, highlighting the firm's commitment to promoting diversity within the firm, throughout the legal profession, and in the community.
• Women's Forum.  The firm's Women's Forum provides women attorneys an opportunity to come together to discuss issues of common interest, including business and professional development, leadership and training opportunities, and mentoring.  The forum regularly conducts a wide range of programs, including training sessions, social gatherings, external receptions, public service projects, and other events aimed at benefiting and advancing the interests of women.    
• Mentoring Program.  Informal mentoring relationships are a hallmark of our low associate-to-partner ratio.  In addition, during their first three years at the firm, associates in the Washington office are assigned a formal mentor to help guide and support their careers.  Formal and informal mentors of new women and R/EM associates focus particularly on helping them to launch their careers successfully at the firm by facilitating access to the resources and opportunities that are available.
• Professional Development.  Our director of professional development is responsible for ensuring a systematic and individualized approach to developing and enhancing the skills of associates in all of the firm's practice groups.  The director's mandate also includes a priority commitment to facilitate the success and advancement of women and R/EM lawyers within our associate ranks, in particular by working with them and practice group leaders to ensure that opportunities to develop and improve their legal skills are consistently made available and utilized.
• Associate Advisory Committee.  The Associate Advisory Committee provides a formally recognized forum for Covington associates to express their views and perspectives to the firm's management.  In addition to this committee, we have designated partners in each office who serve as ombudspersons to assist associates by providing confidential advice and tackling sensitive issues that may arise.  Neither of these resources, however, is meant to limit the ways in which associates interact with senior lawyers, either individually or collectively.  We maintain a strong and long-standing 'open door' policy of unfiltered communication among lawyers at all levels.
• Bar Associations and Community Groups.  Covington provides substantial financial support to bar associations and other groups focused on women, minority and LGBTQ+ issues.  Our lawyers also actively participate and assume leadership roles in these organizations. 

By providing every new associate a full and fair opportunity to succeed and thrive at the firm, we seek to retain our rich and diverse pool of talented lawyers, who will serve as leaders, mentors, and role models for future generations of Covington lawyers.