Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo:
This Firm’s Expertise Creates Superior Diversity Counseling
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo com- mance appraisal, compensation, staffing decisions,
bines unique expertise and a full array of diversi- hiring processes, succession planning and leader-ty-related services as part of its Employment, ship development. “We can work with compa-Labor and Benefits Section. nies on the design or redesign of the people pro-
“We offer many of the same services that other cesses in an organization, ” Casellas says.
law firms offer,” explains Gilbert F. Casellas, a Mintz Levin also excels in diversity training. It
member of the firm who works in Corporate Di- educates employees on EEOC regulations, avoid-
versity Risk Management, part of Mintz Levin’s ance of discrimination and how to promote work-
Employment, Labor and Benefits Section. “What place inclusiveness.
makes us different is that our background and Edmund D. Cooke, Jr. Furthermore, the law firm specializes in conduct-
experience gives us the ability to ferret out ingvigorousdiversity audits. These audits, which
issues, prevent problems before they occur and go beyond statistical analysis and include inter-
provide superior solutions.” views and surveys, identify the gaps between di-
Adds Edmund D. Cooke, Jr., another member of versity policies and their actual practice. Mintz
Mintz Levin who serves with Casellas in Corpo- Levin also assists its clients in ensuring that the
rate Diversity Risk Management, “We have a pre- makeup of the corner office and corporate board
sent expertise. We are not learning on the back of reflects the diversity of society at large.
our clients in developing enterprise-wide solutions “Corporate governance is an employment issue
for diversity and diversity management.” that is beginning to expose more corporations to
Part of Mintz Levin’s diversity expertise comes Gilbert F. Casellas significant liability, ” Cooke explains. “Many com-
from the experiences of Cooke and Casellas. panies can afford to pay the dollar figures, but
Both serve on the Oversight Task Force that monitors the they can’t take the public-relations hit.”
terms of the $192.5 million race-discrimination class-action What’s more, the law firm counsels corporate clients on
settlement by the Coca-Cola Company. Casellas also has supplier diversity as well as assisting clients in developing
served as chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment andexecutingoninternalandexternaldiversity-communica-
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Cooke spent more than tion strategies. If a crisis does occur, Mintz Levin helps clients
eight years as a congressional staff counsel, consulting with wage a response to “the unfortunate occurrences that arise
legislators and their staffs regarding employment discrimina- as a result of not just employment-related, but supplier-diver-
tion. In addition, Mintz Levin’s entire staff has learned from sity [issues] and public policy, ” Casellas says.
the firm’s own diversity efforts. Mintz Levin can defend a client facing EEOC charges or civil
There is a growing need for diversity-related practices, ac- litigation as well as develop an effective litigation strategy that
cording to Cooke. Businesses have to comply with state and includes advising companies on when to resolve individual
federal laws that regulate nearly every aspect of the employ- cases and which cases should be vigorously litigated.
ment relationship, including laws that prohibit discrimination. “Clients are looking for engaging in preventive medicine to
In addition, more companies are realizing that being proac- avoid problems that could put their brand in jeopardy,” Cooke
tive pays. Training, audits and other preventive measures explains. “Engaging in diversity-related practices can help
ensure that all employees are aware of the ever-changing corporate clients save time, money and avoid corporate-
obligations imposed by state and federal laws. And institut- related heartburn.”
ing policies that promote an inclusive workplace not only Mintz Levin was recently named by Workforce Magazine
boosts productivity and increases competitiveness, but helps as one of the top U.S. employment law firms. The 37 lawyers
companies avoid litigation. Finally, companies that make an in Mintz Levin’s Employment, Labor and Benefits Section han-
effort to promote diversity in the workplace are better able to dle all aspects of employment law for a variety of clients. The
defend themselves in the event of litigation. advice that Mintz Levin’s attorneys provide, the employment
“It comes down to whether you would rather visit an inter- systems they develop and the training programs they imple-nist and detect cancer early or wait and end up having to go ment reflect recent court challenges and decisions, enabling
to a surgeon and face more invasive procedures and a less- the firm to assist clients in anticipating and better preparing
optimistic outcome, ” Cooke says. for the constantly changing employment law landscape.
Mintz Levin offers a variety of services related to diversity Mintz Levin has 450 attorneys and senior professionals
and promoting an inclusive workplace. The firm counsels based in offices in Boston, Washington, D.C., New York, Los
companies on diversity-related issues, including perfor- Angeles, Stamford, Conn., Reston, Va., and London.
