Diversity

Consistent with Thompson Coburn LLP’s core values, including our passion for excellence and commitment to treat each other with civility, respect, sensitivity and tolerance, the Firm is strongly committed to a diverse workforce. We are proud of our efforts to recruit, retain and provide career development opportunities to people from diverse backgrounds.

We recruit at more than 20 law schools nationwide with a special emphasis on recruiting at schools with significant numbers of women and minority students. We also participate in regional diversity hiring programs such as the Harvard Black Law Student Association (BLSA) Job Fair. The Firm corresponds regularly with BLSA chapters at other schools.

The Firm took a leadership role in developing and participating in the St. Louis Diversity Clerkship Program, which places first-year minority students in law firms’ existing summer associate programs. We also support the St. Louis Internship Program by hiring minority high school students for summer positions. This innovative program is now being replicated throughout the country. The Firm’s internal Diversity Mentoring Program has helped insure that our associates receive quality work assignments, valuable networking opportunities, and the tools necessary to succeed within the Firm.

The Firm also has established an annual scholarship in memory of Tom Eagleton, former U.S. Senator and firm partner. The Thomas F. Eagleton Scholarship will be awarded each year to a qualified minority candidate attending his or her first year of law school at The University of Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University or the University of Illinois-Champaign. In addition to the $10,000 scholarship, the scholarship recipient will be offered a paid summer internship with the Firm following his or her first year of law school. The recipient also will receive year-long mentoring from a Thompson Coburn partner.

The Firm has also been a leader in the St. Louis legal community, sponsoring Lawyers for Equality, a new bar association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) attorneys and legal professionals. In addition, the Firm has supported Outlaw, a Washington University law student resource group for LGBT students.

In addition, Thompson Coburn has broadened its recruiting efforts and has affirmed its commitment to diversity by participating in the annual Lavender Law Career Fair. The event supports Thompson Coburn's goal of becoming more inclusive and attracting members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities to the firm. The firm currently extends domestic partner benefits to lawyers and staff who are part of the LGBT community, and is focused on inclusion and any steps necessary to support that goal.

Thompson Coburn has a broadly inclusive Diversity Committee consisting of members of the Firm’s Management Committee and a cross-section of partners and associates. The committee, led by Roman Wuller, Management Committee member and chair of the Firm’s class action practice group, is charged with overseeing diversity initiatives and ensuring an inclusive, positive and supportive work environment at Thompson Coburn. The Firm has retained a seasoned diversity consultant to train and guide the Committee in its mission. With the guidance of this consultant, the Firm has completed a comprehensive cultural survey and attorneys of the Firm have participated in diversity training.

The Firm’s Associates Committee has long been instrumental in helping the Firm craft family and employee friendly policies, such as a part-time associate policy, Firm-sponsored back-up childcare arrangements, and domestic partner benefits. Thompson Coburn also proudly supports the Firm’s women attorneys who meet regularly for social and professional functions and networking.

Thompson Coburn has made a $10,000 commitment to support the Legal Advocates for Abused Women (LAAW) Foundation and is the foundation's founding donor. In addition to this financial commitment, beginning in 2008, several TC attorneys will perform pro bono legal services for LAAW. Partners Cheryl Kelly and Sherri Strand head the Thompson Coburn pro bono effort to serve LAAW.

LAAW, a non-profit organization providing legal services to victims of domestic abuse in St. Louis, St. Louis County and surrounding Missouri and Illinois counties, was established in 1995 and has responded to more than 50,000 calls for assistance to date. More than 60 lawyers in the St. Louis area provide pro bono legal services to LAAW, assisting victims of domestic abuse in obtaining temporary restraining orders, orders of protection and numerous other legal services. LAAW also provides training to volunteer attorneys who commit to working with LAAW and those it aids.

Thompson Coburn is a proud leader in the community in our commitment to diversity and diversity initiatives. We will continue to provide our attorneys and staff with a diverse and professionally rewarding workplace, and develop programs and policies designed to ensure that Thompson Coburn remains inclusive for individuals of all backgrounds.