All Firm Attorneys and Professional Staff Encouraged to Take Paid Day Off on November 3 to Assist with Election Day Activities

On Juneteenth, a day which commemorates the liberation of slaves in the United States, and as voices across the nation demand justice and change for longstanding racial inequities, Mintz Managing Partner Robert I. Bodian has announced that all Mintz attorneys and professional staff will be encouraged to use Election Day, November 3, to vote, and to engage in other related activities, such as participating in phone banks, poll-watching, and transporting senior citizens and the disabled to polling locations. In addition, Mr. Bodian shared a comprehensive plan to increase diversity and inclusion at the firm and beyond.

“It is of utmost importance that we vote, and help others do so, especially in this election that will have a profound impact on racism, social justice, and respect for all U.S. citizens, regardless of race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disabilities, or otherwise,” said Mintz Managing Partner Bob Bodian. “I will be asking other law firms across the country to join us in this effort, and am looking forward to helping create change together.”

Mr. Bodian has announced a multi-step plan to increase diversity and inclusion within the firm and the legal community. Highlights of the plan include:

• Placing a greater emphasis on the recruitment of Black attorneys: The firm has set a goal of increasing the number of Black attorneys by 50% by June 30, 2022;
• Recruiting a Director of Diversity to assist with goals of inclusivity;
• Adding a seat on the firm’s Diversity Committee to raise the concerns and interests of professional staff;
• Creating a mixed-media catalog featuring the stories of Black and other minority attorneys to better understand the unique challenges and circumstances these individuals face every day; and
• Continuing to undertake social justice reform work on a pro bono basis.

Additionally, Mintz has existing partnerships and is developing new partnerships with organizations focused on addressing racism and inequities in the United States. The firm is a founder of the Boston Lawyers Group (BLG), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting its member organizations’ efforts to identify, recruit, retain and advance attorneys of color. Mintz has strengthened its partnership with BLG and offered the organization office space within the firm’s Boston office at One Financial Center.

Mintz’s Election Day Challenge, and the above steps, are just a sample of the firm’s extensive diversity and inclusion efforts to be implemented over the days, weeks, months, and years to come.