Jackson Walker is proud to announce it has been honored by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) as a Top Performer for 2016.

Each year, LCLD recognizes Member organizations that have gone “above and beyond” in LCLD participation and in support of its mission to create a more inclusive legal profession. In 2016, LCLD named just 41 organizations as Top Performers, 15 companies and 26 law firms (out of 191 Member Firms).

Jackson Walker takes its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect for all individuals in the firm very seriously. Over half of the associates are women and more than a quarter are minorities. The firm has been named among the 100 Best Law Firms for Female Attorneys and also one of the 100 Best Law Firms for Minority Attorneys by Law360 and has received numerous accolades for its diversity initiatives, including the prestigious Thomas L. Sager Award for the South Region from the Minority Counsel Association in 2014.

The firm joined LCLD in 2011. Since then, it has provided mentors for the Success in Law School Mentoring Program four of those years, hosted scholars in the 1L LCLD Scholars Program five years, Nominated Fellows for the Fellows Program four years, hosted the Leadership Lunch in 2014, attended the Annual Meeting in 2015, and selected a Pathfinder for the Pathfinder Program in 2016.

LCLD’s Top Performer designation is not only based on the Member Firm’s participation, but also the participation of Individual Members such as Jackson Walker’s managing partner and LCLD Firm Representative, Wade Cooper. Wade is personally committed to diversity and inclusion and is involved in several diversity initiatives, including membership in LCLD’s Pipeline Committee and speaking engagements such as LCLD’s Fellows Leadership Luncheon. “Our culture, and a tradition of mutual respect and inclusion, are what set Jackson Walker apart,” according to Wade.

The Firm’s Diversity Committee chair, Bruce Ruzinsky, is quick to point out the contribution of Christopher Mugica to LCLD and to the selection of Jackson Walker as a Top Performer. Chris was named a Fellow in LCLD’s landmark Fellows Program in 2013. In the years since, he has remained very active in LCLD. In addition to coordinating several LCLD gatherings in different Texas cities, he was Co-Planning Chair for the 2016 Alumni Conference and served as a member of the 2015-2016 LCLD Executive Committee.

“Chris is an extremely active LCLD alum who has really exemplified what a private practice lawyer can do in furtherance of the diversity and inclusion goals shared by his firm and LCLD,” said Bruce.