New Orleans is renowned world-wide for its vibrant culture, a sui generis coalescence of multiple nationalities, races and ethnic groups over more than two centuries. Similar to the city our firm calls home, diversity, equity, and inclusivity is critical to our firm’s ethos and long-term success. Leake celebrates the diversity of thought, experience and background of everyone in our city and each member of our firm.
Our firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DE&I”) committee establishes annual goals to continuously improve the workplace experience and career development for everyone and to amplify our impact on equal opportunity and diversity throughout the community. We focus our DE&I efforts in three categories: community involvement, firm growth and education.
Leake’s DE&I committee organizes firm events throughout the year to recognize important historical and cultural milestones. We also participate in community events through membership in various organizations, including the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society; Association for Women Attorneys; and the Louisiana State Bar Association – DE&I Committee. Firm members volunteer time with underserved communities through the Harry Thompson Center where we provide legal services to the unhoused population of New Orleans. We also partner with the Good Sheppard School – a school dedicated to helping low-income children realize their full potential.
Leake deliberately seeks to grow the firm by recruiting a diverse pipeline of talent. Our efforts begin by reaching students prior to entering the practice of law. We participate in the Annual Pathways and Pipeline’s program, a month’s long process of working with diverse students through networking and mock interviews to prepare them for future opportunities in the legal world. We also recruit diverse candidates from all four Louisiana law schools for our summer associate positions and seek to hire diverse attorneys both when they start their careers and when they seek lateral positions at the firm.
Internally, we are committed to developing and advancing women, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and any other underrepresented population. In the past two years, 50% of our internal partnership promotions were women and/or racially or ethnically diverse.
The only true way to appreciate the diverse world in which we live is through a continuous process of education and learning. Leake achieves this through providing our firm members with continuing legal education and specialized training focused on DE&I.
Our firm’s dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion is formalized by becoming party to the Louisiana State Bar Association’s “Statement of Diversity Principles.”
Louisiana State Bar Association – Statement of Diversity Principles
Leake Andersson hereby commits itself to foster diversity in the legal profession. We recognize that diversity is an inclusive concept that encompasses race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability and other aspects of diversity.
We believe that with greater diversity, we can be more creative, effective and just, bringing more varied perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, talents and interests to the practice of law and the administration of justice. We further believe that a diverse group of talented legal professionals is critically important to the success of every law firm, corporate or government legal department, law school, and public service organization and every other organization that includes attorneys. We recognize that to fully and equitably pursue justice our profession must reflect the full spectrum of our communities.
To this end we pledge to make our best efforts to increase the diversity in our hiring, retention and promotion of attorneys and the elevation of attorneys to leadership positions within our respective organizations. We believe that all members of the bar should participate equally and fully in our profession. Ultimately, we believe that diversity in the legal profession is good for the profession, good for business, good for our communities and critical for enhancing the public’s confidence in the judicial system. We recognize that achieving diversity within our organizations and creating inclusive environments are evolutionary processes that require a continued effort and commitment on our part. We pledge to promote and participate in appropriate diversity awareness training programs. We further agree to participate in programs to measure our progress in the pursuit of these stated principles.