At Jackson Walker, we take pride in providing a supportive, inclusive environment for our attorneys and staff. To ensure our entire practice promotes equality for all, our 21-member Diversity Committee directs the Firm’s diversity-related goals and collaborates on best practices for implementing initiatives.

With that, Jackson Walker celebrates a number of recent accolades received in 2019 for our efforts to recruit, retain, promote, and train an increasingly diverse team. For a complete look at how the Firm is igniting positive change within the legal industry and our communities, visit the Diversity & Inclusion page.

‘A’ Grade in Law Firm Diversity Report Card

For the seventh consecutive year, Jackson Walker has been recognized as one of the most diverse law firms in Austin, Texas, in the 2018 Law Firm Diversity Report Card.

Issued every year, the Law Firm Diversity Report Card collects data on the hire, retention, and promotion of racial and ethnic minorities and women at the 30 largest law firms within the city for the past year. Grades are determined by a committee comprising representatives from the Austin Asian American Bar Association, the Austin Bar Association LGBT Law Section, the Austin Black Lawyers Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin, the South Asian Bar Association of Austin, and the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association.

Of the 14 firms that earned an ‘A’ grade in the 2018 Report Card, Jackson Walker is one of only three firms to have done so for the past seven years.

At the 2018 Law Firm Diversity Report Card Reception on September 17, 2019, Jackson Walker was represented by partners Christopher R. Mugica and Timothy C. Taylor.

A member of the Firm’s Diversity Committee and a past member of the State Bar of Texas Minority Counsel Program Steering Committee, Chris said: “To have represented Jackson Walker at the reception is an honor. I am proud to work for a law firm that actively ensures equal opportunities for all attorneys, regardless of gender, race, beliefs, or sexual orientation.”

UHLC Diversity Champion Award

On June 25, 2019, students, alumni, and employers gathered to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the University of Houston Law Center Pre-Law Pipeline Program. During the 2019 Diversity Speaker Panel & Awards Luncheon, Jackson Walker was honored with the Diversity Champion Award, which recognizes and celebrates leading organizations for making meaningful strides toward improving diversity in the legal community.

At the luncheon, Houston partner Jamila M. Brinson accepted the award on Jackson Walker’s behalf and also served on a panel discussing issues of diversity and inclusion leadership.

The UHLC Pre-Law Pipeline Program provides first-generation, low-income, and minority students with law school preparatory resources, including LSAT training, introductory classes, internships, and professional development workshops. Since the program’s inception, Jamila has taken an active role in mentoring student participants and spearheaded our involvement in the PreLaw Undergraduate Student (PLUS) Scholars Program last year.

To explore the Firm’s commitment to developing a pipeline of diverse talent through initiatives such as the UHLC program, visit the Diversity & Inclusion Annual Report 2018 Recruitment page.

The American Lawyer’s 2019 Diversity Scorecard

In its 2019 Diversity Scorecard, The American Lawyer recognized Jackson Walker as the third-most diverse law firm headquartered in Texas.

Released on May 28, 2019, the Diversity Scorecard records the average number of full-time-equivalent minority attorneys—Asian-American, African-American, Latino or Hispanic, Native American, and self-described multiracial attorneys—at Am Law 200 and National Law Journal 250 firms during the 2018 calendar year. Each firm’s diversity score is calculated by adding the percentage of all U.S. ethnic minority attorneys at the firms surveyed to the percentage of all U.S. ethnic minority partners at those firms.

For more information about the rankings, view The American Lawyer’s article “The 2019 Diversity Scorecard.”

Meet JW

Founded more than 130 years ago, Jackson Walker has played a vital role in the growth and development of Texas business. With more than 400 attorneys across seven Texas-based offices, the Firm represents Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, major financial institutions, insurance companies, and a wide range of public companies and private businesses around the globe. The Firm is ranked nationally in 27 practice areas in the U.S. News’ “Best Law Firms” rankings, has 12 Chambers USA-ranked practices, and has been recognized as a BTI Client Service A-Team since 2014.