MISSION STATEMENT OF THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE
In pursuit of the firm’s aim of providing world-class legal service, we acknowledge that diversity of ideas, backgrounds, and experience are essential to meeting that goal. The mission of the DEI Committee is to ensure that the core values of DEI are reflected in everything that we do at CSG Law. The Committee shall endeavor to construct and leverage a barrier-free, diversified and inclusive workforce that maintains an unwavering commitment to a workplace culture that values and respects the entirety of the CSG family, clients, business partners and surrounding communities – the CSG Law Community.
To that end, the Committee shall:
- Strive to build an inclusive workplace that embraces and supports the diverse voices within the CSG Law Community.
- Commit to the recruitment of diverse talent and the creation of opportunities that will enable the equitable advancement for all members of the CSG Law Community.
- Honor the diverse cultures and intersections of the individuals that make up our CSG Law Community through education and celebration.
Obtaining great results originates from the ability to view issues from diverse perspectives…
We value, and celebrate, the many perspectives our team brings to bear and remain committed to diversifying the range of views and backgrounds brought to the table in serving our valued clients.
Leading these efforts at CSG Law are the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and Women’s Initiative, both focused on helping to shape the future of the firm through providing professional development, training and mentorship, connecting with external organizations to support valuable DEI initiatives, and supporting pipeline programs to increase opportunities and access for others.
Among its peers, CSG Law stands out – 32% of the firm’s members (partners) are women, well above the nationwide average for law firms, while women also comprise more than half of the firm’s practice group leaders and C-suite management team. In 2022, the firm named its first-ever woman Managing Member.
In 2022, CSG Law funded endowments for scholarships at Rutgers Law School and Seton Hall University School of Law in commemoration of its 50th anniversary. These scholarships are earmarked for full-time students with outstanding academic records who are first generation law students or who have overcome socio-economic or educational hardship.
The firm has been recognized for its commitment to DEI, most recently earning a place on Bloomberg Law’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Framework. Only 55 U.S.-based firms were named to the Bloomberg Law Framework, which provides a platform for standardizing law firm diversity metrics and recognizes firms for distinguished performance against six core pillars: demographics, leadership and talent pipeline, recruitment and retention, business innovation and strategy, marketing, and diversity and inclusion in the community.
In addition, the firm was named to the inaugural NJBIZ Empowering Women list, honoring companies who have advanced women in the workplace and community; earned the New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s Annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award; and has been recognized among the Best Places to Work by NJBIZ since 2020.
These honors highlight the firm’s unique workplace culture, which values the contributions of the team above all else, as well as the firm’s ongoing commitment to recruiting, training and supporting its team as they develop their careers.
RECRUITING AND TALENT EXPERIENCE
The recruitment, development and mentorship of diverse attorneys are hallmarks of the firm’s DEI commitment. On the recruitment side, the firm is committed to providing opportunities for lawyers at various stages of their careers, from seasoned partners to junior law clerks, to join our team.
Professional development programming within the firm is highly customized, with legal educational programs that are cover a range of topics and disciplines with the goal of providing valuable training and insight to the firm’s attorneys and legal support staff. Many of these programs highlight the skills of the firm’s women and diverse attorneys, providing them with the opportunity to expand their internal networks and opportunities.
Business development programs and coaching provide the opportunity for attorneys to begin to build their practices, connect more effectively with their contacts and identify their personal action plans for future success. These efforts include promoting the firm’s attorneys as thought leaders for speaking and writing opportunities with outside organizations.
RAISING AWARENESS
The DEI Committee leads the firm’s ongoing diversity training programs, which includes firmwide programming, as well as communications around a wide variety of celebrations including Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, Pride Month and Black History Month, among others.
The firm’s DEI Committee and Women’s Initiative have led fundraising initiatives to support social justice causes and change-making organizations. Through the generosity of the firm and its employees, more than $45,000 has been raised over the past few years for such organizations as the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Jespy House, Garden State Equality, The Trevor Project, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and many others.
In addition, the firm’s DEI Committee continues to spearhead the expansion of the firm’s Pro Bono Initiative, which will include donating time and resources to organizations that align with the firm’s vision while providing an opportunity for attorneys to gain invaluable hands-on experience working on substantive matters.
EXTERNAL COLLABORATION
Externally, the firm supports a variety of legal and business affinity groups through both active participation and sponsorship.
As part of this commitment, many of the firm’s attorneys have taken on leadership roles with external organizations, which have included serving as the New Jersey Chapter Leader of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association, Co-Chair of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance Equity and Access Committee, Chair of the Diversity Committee of the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys, and Board Members of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association.
Members of the team are nationally sought-after thought leaders in their respective fields of practice, frequently collaborating with outside organizations to provide valuable content to their membership. Numerous team members have also been called upon to assist external organizations in expanding their DEI and Women’s Initiatives – collaborating to create opportunities to connect with and engage members of the legal and business community with thoughtful programming and opportunities for professional development, mentorship and networking.
EDUCATIONAL AND PIPELINE PROGRAMS
CSG Law has taken a leading role and interest in guiding, preparing and empowering the next generation of legal talent through a variety of projects focused on creating a future pipeline of diverse lawyers and leaders. These programs span the educational careers of students from high school through law school, with the goal of providing opportunities to students to learn more about careers in the law and to gain mentorship from practicing lawyers.
The firm’s Summer Associate Program is focused on providing a pathway for future opportunities for law school students, especially those from historically underrepresented communities who have overcome hardships and show great promise as future lawyers. To achieve this goal the firm collaborates with the Rutgers University Minority Student Program and the Legal Education Opportunity Program at Seton Hall Law School.
In addition, CSG Law’s endowments at Rutgers Law School and Seton Hall University School of Law are focused on assisting full-time students with outstanding academic records, with preference given to first generation law students and those who have overcome socio-economic or educational hardship.
Even before students pursue undergraduate studies, CSG Law has been there serving as a guide through its longstanding support of such programs as the New Jersey Law & Education Empowerment Project (NJ LEEP). By serving as an active host for the organization’s Week-on-the-Job Program, the firm provides high school students with a look at the range of career paths available in the law firm setting. Many of the firm’s lawyers continue to mentor NJ LEEP students even after this program, making this a truly rewarding experience for both the students and our volunteers.