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We view diversity as one of our greatest strengths, and recognize that promoting diversity must be a continuous process which encompasses not only recruiting the best legal talent, but also developing and promoting a diverse pool of attorneys at all levels at the Firm.
Simpson Thacher is currently ranked the eleventh most diverse firm in the United States according to the 2008 Minority Law Journal’s Diversity Scorecard survey, which ranked 211 law firms in the country according to their percentage of minority lawyers. Our 2007 summer associate class included 34% ethnic minorities, and the entering class of 2007 is composed of approximately 33% ethnic minorities and 3% openly gay or lesbian associates. The Firm has elected three Black, ten Asian, two Latino and six openly gay or lesbian attorneys to partnership. The Firm has long been committed to increasing diversity in the legal profession. The watershed 1991 Statement of Diversity Principles issued by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York was written by a committee chaired by the late Cyrus Vance, then a Firm partner. The Vance Committee was comprised of senior and managing partners of many of New York City’s largest law firms and included our partners, Conrad Harper, the Firm’s first Black partner who also served as president of the Bar Association, and John W. Carr, the Firm’s second Black partner, who served as secretary to the Committee. Simpson Thacher also adopted the revised Statement of Diversity Principles in 2003. Simpson Thacher alumnus Duane Hughes of Morgan Stanley served as secretary of the drafting committee, which included Simpson Thacher partner David L. Williams. In the revised Statement, the Firm reiterated its commitment to achieve greater diversity and, among other things, pledged to hire, retain and promote entry level classes that substantially reflect the diversity of graduating law students.
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