Diversity & Inclusion Is A Team Effort
by Larry Midler
Originally published in Diversity & The Bar Magazine
When I joined CBRE as general counsel in April 2004, our legal team was almost entirely U.S.-based and, like the company itself, significantly smaller than it is today. But it had strong female attorneys in leadership roles, including the GCs of two of our largest markets – New York and London.
That said, we saw an opportunity as we grew to create a more diverse legal team. And when I am asked how we did it, I tell the truth — we always sought the best legal talent and actively promoted our best people to positions of leadership. We never had to sacrifi ce or compromise on experience, talent, work ethic or any other quality. We always hired and promoted attorneys who have shared interests but diverse perspectives. We value people who embrace innovative strategies, value great client outcomes over mere effort and want a collaborative workplace culture. It is no coincidence that many of the most senior leadership positions on our 120-lawyer team are held by diverse attorneys.
