Diversity, Equity
& Inclusion

Programs and Initiatives

The firm has undertaken several initiatives, key collaborations and sponsorships to address matters of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Through community and professional engagements, Snell & Wilmer gains the multicultural sensitivities to develop a deeper understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion. The list below demonstrates the breadth of the firm’s engagement and desire to lead the charge in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives:


Sponsorships

American Bar Association Logo

American Bar Association’s Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (“JIOP”) Sponsor

This nationwide program provides second-year law students who are members of racial and ethnic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the profession, students with disabilities, students who are economically disadvantaged, students who identify themselves as LGBT, and women, with a judicial internship over the summer.


Arizona Asian American Bar Association Logo

Arizona Asian American Bar Association (“AAABA”)

The AAABA aims to promote and advocate for justice, equity, equality, inclusion, and opportunity for Asian Pacific Americans (APA) in the Arizona legal profession and the community-at-large.


Arizona Association of Defense Counsel Logo

Arizona Association of Defense Counsel's (“AADC”) “Ladder Down” Program Sponsor

Snell & Wilmer is one of a few firms that has partnered with the AADC to create a year-long business development program entitled “Ladder Down: Leadership, Business Development, and Mentoring For Women Lawyers.” The objective of the program is to empower women lawyers by giving them directed training and providing them with practical, tangible tools for getting ahead. This is a unique program—particularly at the state and local level—in that the purpose is not to identify the difficulties women lawyers face, but to instead provide effective solutions for advancing their careers.


Center for Legal Inclusiveness Logo

Center for Legal Inclusiveness (“CLI”)

CLI is dedicated to advancing diversity in the legal profession by actively educating and supporting private and public sector legal organizations in their individual campaigns to create cultures of inclusion.


Colorado Pledge to Diversity Program Logo

Colorado Pledge to Diversity

The Pledge was founded for the purpose of addressing the inequities faced by Black law students and students of color, and expanded to address the inequities faced by students with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender students, and other individuals who have been traditionally under-represented in the practice of law.


Diversity Legal Writing Internship Program Logo

Diversity Legal Writing Internship Program

We participate and host writing fellows in various offices. We work with second-year law students in the spring semester to improve the students’ writing skills and to expose them to real-world clerking assignments in a firm setting.


Justice Michael L. Douglas PreLaw Fellowship Program

Justice Michael L. Douglas PreLaw Fellowship Program

The goal of the Justice Michael L. Douglas PreLaw Fellowship Program is to introduce students from underrepresented communities to the rigors of law school and the benefits of having a legal education, as well as to ensure they have essential information to help them navigate the law school admission process.


State Bar of Arizona Logo

State Bar of Arizona

State Bar of Arizona has been a long-time collaborator with Snell & Wilmer. The key programs include the Bar Leadership Institute, which is a selective program designed to train the next generation of Bar members and community leaders; and Convention of Diversity & Inclusion, which includes programming that provides a forum for Arizona’s legal community to address issues that confront diverse attorneys, celebrate the success of diverse attorneys and encourage them to pursue legal careers in Arizona.


Key Collaborations

We’re leading the way by collaborating with a network of organizations to support diverse professionals across the career spectrum and facilitate the creation of inclusive workplaces.

Arizona State University’s High School Pipeline Initiative Logo

Arizona State University’s High School Pipeline Initiative

The mission of ASU’s High School Pipeline initiative is to enhance the diversity of the legal profession by developing and fostering a pathway for diverse high school students that encourages an interest in the law, promotes the development of critical thinking and writing skills, and fosters values necessary to succeed academically and professionally.


Law Firm Antiracism Alliance Logo

Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (“LFAA”)

LFAA’s mission is to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism and to promote racial equity in the law.


Leadership Council On Legal Diversity Logo

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (“LCLD”)

Snell & Wilmer is a member of the LCLD, an organization focused on developing strategies to increase diversity in the legal profession and sharing those strategies with member law firms.


Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law Logo

Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law (“OCCDL”)

The OCCDL is a collaborative effort of professionals from leading Orange County law firms and other community partners committed to achieving cultural diversity in recruiting and retaining law students and attorneys in Orange County.


Utah Center for Legal Inclusion Logo

Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (“UCLI”)

Snell & Wilmer’s Salt Lake City office is certified with the UCLI, an organization dedicated to advancing the goals of equity and inclusion in Utah’s legal profession.

50+

Networking and partnerships with over
50 diversity-focused professional organizations