Effective February 1, 2011, Gordon & Rees has appointed Denver Partner Franz Hardy to serve as Chair of the firm's national Diversity Committee. In 2004, Gordon & Rees created a Diversity Committee to further support and promote diversity efforts within the firm, the legal profession and the community at large. The Diversity Committee is comprised of employees, attorneys, and members of firm management, including one Partner in each office who serves as the office liaison to the national committee.
San Francisco Partner Jack McCowan, Chair of the Diversity Committee since its creation, will transfer to Mr. Hardy a committee that has been successful from the start with receipt of the Defense Research Institute's Law Firm Diversity Award in 2005. "Franz is both an excellent leader and role model. He holds numerous prominent positions in local and national diversity-related organizations. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Center for Legal Inclusiveness and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, as well as serving as an active member of the American Bar Association's Minority Trial Lawyers' Committee. He has the skills and experience necessary to lead the firm's national Diversity Committee," Jack McCowan.
"Diversity is a very important issue for the legal profession and we join all law firms in doing our part to generate change and achieve progress. Diversity is more than numbers and checklists. Diversity policies, procedures, and systems must be supported by a culture and work environment based on inclusion. Everyone has different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and harnessing that creative power is the goal of diversity at Gordon & Rees," explains Franz Hardy. "Gordon & Rees has grown to a national litigation and business transactions firm with more than 400 attorneys in 18 offices. With this increased national platform we are able to have even greater impact on diversity in the legal profession. I look forward to this exciting responsibility."
About Diversity at Gordon & Rees: Additional information about diversity at Gordon & Rees is in the Diversity section of our website, located here. For a copy of our diversity brochure, updated in January 2011, please click here.