Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
White and Williams is committed to ensuring that everyone experiences the feeling of inclusion and belonging in our law firm and in the legal industry. In collaboration with our clients, industry service providers and other relationship partners, we strive to make a meaningful impact on the legal profession’s ability to reflect and serve the communities in which we live and work.
People choose to work at White and Williams because they want to be a part of an ethical, fair and professional work environment. White and Williams strives to recruit, maintain and elevate a workforce of highly motivated and talented individuals, which enriches our firm and creates a culture of inclusion, respect and learning. This benefits our clients as we can draw on numerous viewpoints to offer valuable and innovative approaches to the matters we handle.
In January 2021, Partner Rochelle Gumapac was appointed to oversee, coordinate, continue and initiate programs to advance our firm culture, which includes the development of educational programs, networking opportunities and community activities to cultivate a supportive and inclusive workplace. She is an advocate for increased participation and presence within our clients’ organizations and communities. Rochelle strives to create cutting-edge and thought-provoking strategies to assist our firm, as well as some of the firm’s long-standing clients, to develop programs to ensure that every person feels engaged and that their career goals are metrically achieved.
The Firm creates and implements additional strategies to ensure we develop and retain lawyers and staff of every race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender and sexual orientation. In addition, the Women’s Initiative focuses its efforts on enhancing the professional and personal development of our women lawyers and to foster their success in the workplace. The Firm is committed to hiring and retaining employees who reflect our firm culture and the society in which we live and serve.
Our lawyers have a long history of commitment and leadership at the bar and in other professional and community organizations that share the firm’s goal of increasing engagement in the legal profession, including, but not limited to:
- Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia
- Defense Research Institute Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Hispanic National Bar Association
- Korean American Lawyers Association of New York
- Multi-Cultural Judges and Lawyers Section of the Delaware Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team
- Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association
- South Asian Bar Association
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- Justinian Society of Philadelphia
- Louis D. Brandeis Law Society
- Philadelphia Diversity Law Group
Training for staff, clients and professional associations is an integral part of our efforts. Through these programs, we are able to facilitate open and honest dialogue about issues impacting the legal profession and our society.
