FORT WAYNE – A national organization that promotes diversity in the legal profession has named Barnes & Thornburg’s Dawn R. Rosemond an honoree of its inaugural “Nation’s Best” list.
Lawyers of Color recognized Rosemond, a partner and the firm’s director of diversity, professional development and inclusion, at a recent reception in Chicago for Midwest Region honorees. Honorees include lawyers in private practice as well as in-house corporate counsel.
"It is a distinct honor to be recognized along with so many accomplished lawyers,” Rosemond said. “I accept this honor with a sense of pride because of the significant strides Barnes & Thornburg has made over the last several years in supporting our diverse lawyers.”
A selection committee made up of Lawyers of Color fellows, advisers, and editorial staff chose attorneys who had noteworthy accomplishments and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. The inaugural awards honored lawyers in six regions across the United States.
Rosemond is the first African-American female to make equity partner at Barnes & Thornburg. She now leads the firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Recent strides include an increase in the firm’s representation of women and minorities in its partnership ranks, the creation of a diverse supplier program to promote value-driven procurement; launch of a new parental leave benefits policy affording effective January 1, all Barnes & Thornburg teammates 16 weeks of leave at 100 percent pay; and the formation of a new professional development program called VISION, which includes a signature firmwide sponsorship effort designed to promote the growth and empowerment of our associate talent.
Lawyers of Color is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is devoted to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities.
With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from 14 offices in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.
