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Chapman and Cutler LLP is committed to, and places a high priority on, achieving workplace diversity and inclusion. We support a workplace where individuals of different race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender or sexual orientation or with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in the firm at all levels in furtherance of the best interests and business needs of the firm and its clients. We value attorneys and staff members who not only excel in their chosen fields but enhance and improve our work environment by contributing their unique perspectives and personalities. We believe Chapman and Cutler has a responsibility to reflect the diverse communities we serve and that a diverse firm significantly enhances our ability to provide high quality legal services to our clients. Given the importance of this mandate, we encourage our attorneys and staff to devote time and experience to improving the firm's diversity as we also strive to assist our communities through pro bono and public service volunteerism. To ensure the future of our diversity initiatives, a Diversity Committee, comprised of eight partners, including the firm's hiring partner and one member of the firm's Policy Committee, has been directed to create and monitor directives that mirror the firm's philosophy. This panel is accountable - and reports directly - to both the firm's chief operating partner and the Policy Committee. In concert, all participants aim to foster a workplace that not only embraces diversity but also anticipates future change. Given that mission, the Diversity Committee has established four principal goals: , Establish appropriate firm management structures to promote and sustain workplace diversity, , Encourage a firm culture that is supportive of diversity and equality, , Provide for the employment and advancement of a diverse workforce, and , Improve both the internal and external communication of the firm's diversity focus. It is important to note that the firm's commitment to diversity transcends the hiring process. Women, African-American, Asian and openly gay attorneys participate in the firm at the highest levels of management as partners, hiring partners, Policy Committee members, office heads, committee members and chairpersons. We encourage attorneys and staff to participate in community programs that enhance our diversity efforts, including, but not limited to, minority job fairs, affiliation in professional organizations and internships. Pursuit of pro bono work and civic activities, as mentioned earlier, is strongly encouraged. The firm's vision of an equitable workplace is consistently reflected in our personnel policies. For example, our Harassment Policy has been in place for a decade and addresses a variety of situations such as age, race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or membership in protected groups. Chapman and Cutler's ethic requires that all personnel assume responsibility for a harassment-free workplace. Further, the firm's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, also in place for over ten years, encompasses all aspects of the recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, training and compensation process to be certain job applicants are welcomed - regardless of marital or parental status, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, sexual orientation, source of income or housing status. The firm also recognizes that a balanced work, family and personal life is important to our attorneys and staff. Accordingly, we have adopted several programs to assist in maintaining that balance - such as an alternative work schedule policy that provides opportunities to progress toward partnership, back-up child care and domestic partner benefits. At Chapman and Cutler, we believe that fostering a diverse and inclusive environment is not only the right thing to do, it is the necessary thing to do to maintain a competitive advantage in today's marketplace. We believe that a diverse workforce increases our creativity, heightens the quality of our thinking and enables us to provide useful counsel on the complex and sophisticated issues facing our clients.