SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman was named a 2019 Inclusion Blueprint Champion for leading the legal industry with our diversity and inclusion practices.
The Inclusion Blueprint is a new standard for measuring law firm inclusion practices and diversity representation. In a collaborative project between Diversity Lab and ChIPs, this tool is designed to provide a first-of-its-kind method to measure the representation of diverse lawyers and career-enhancing inclusion activities that law firms implement to ensure that historically underrepresented lawyers have fair and equal access to opportunities.
The Blueprint includes two main categories for law firms to track, measure, and benchmark their diversity and inclusion efforts in both their leadership and at the practice group level: (1) current diversity representation target thresholds and year-over-year progress; and (2) ongoing inclusion practices and activities. This differs from traditional diversity surveys in that it provides specific targets that firms should strive to achieve at these two levels to ensure inclusion. The survey included four main sections for both overall firm leadership and within each practice group: (1) meeting representation thresholds for diversity; (2) year-over-year progress in representation; (3) inclusion practices; and (4) tracking metrics.
ChIPs and Diversity Lab sent the Inclusion Blueprint survey to over 200 law firms, including all Am Law 200 firms. Brooks Kushman was one of 70 law firms that participated in tracking their inclusion practices and diversity representation using the Blueprint, out of which 13 firms scored the highest percentage of points for both diversity representation and inclusion activities in the designated areas: (1) Law Firm Leadership; (2) Antitrust, IP, Privacy and Cyber Practice Group; (3) Business, Finance, and Real Estate Practice Group; (4) Litigation Practice Group; and (5) Regulatory Practice Group. Of all the firms that participated, Brooks Kushman scored in the top 3 firms named for Overall Firm Leadership, and in the top 5 for Antitrust, IP, Privacy, and Cyber.
Brooks Kushman is a long-time supporter of ChIPs and regularly partners with the organization to help move the needle on diversity and inclusion within the legal community. Brooks Kushman was also one of three firms this year that was awarded the ChIPs Honor Roll award, a related diversity award given to firms with the highest scores in female representation and inclusion activities at both the leadership and IP practice group levels.
To read Diversity Lab’s press release click here.
About ChIPs
ChIPs is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing and connecting women in technology, law and policy. ChIPs seeks to accelerate innovation in these areas by increasing diversity of thought, participation and engagement. At ChIPs, members are united in the belief that diversity, of all types, is essential to innovation and to a thriving, evolving society. Membership is open to anyone who shares this mission. Founded in 2005 by seven women chiefs of intellectual property, it has expanded beyond those roots, now with over 3,000 members and nine regional chapters in the United States and abroad. Many members are engaged at the heart of current events — as active participants in the lawmaking, policymaking, judicial, advocacy and innovation processes. Please visit www.chipsnetwork.org.
About Diversity Lab
Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. Experimental ideas are created through our Hackathons and piloted in collaboration with more than 50 top law firms and legal departments across the country. Diversity Lab leverages data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test new ideas and research, measure the results, and share the lessons learned. For more information, visit www.diversitylab.com.
About Brooks Kushman P.C.
Brooks Kushman P.C. is a premier intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm dedicated to the advancement and protection of innovations and brands that propel businesses around the world. With offices in Michigan and California, we work alongside corporations, small to medium sized businesses, and leading universities to protect their intellectual property assets. Our attorneys have a broad range of experience in industries and technologies, including consumer electronics, manufacturing, medical device, computer technology, aerospace, chemicals, biotechnology, and retail.
Brooks Kushman counts a number of Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries among its clients. The firm is also recognized by leading legal publications and rankings, including Corporate Counsel magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Law360, Intellectual Asset Management, Managing Intellectual Property, and Intellectual Property Today. For more information, please visit www.BrooksKushman.com.
