Firm Diversity

Committees

Diversity Committee

One of our most successful strategies in retaining minority attorneys has been our commitment to listen, learn and act upon their suggestions. Our Diversity Task Force, established in 1994, evolved into a standing Committee in the firm. This Committee includes minority and non-minority members of the Policy Committee, Office Managing Partners, Partners and Associates.

Diversity subcommittees focus on five key topics: Lateral Recruiting, Law School Recruiting/Paul D. White Scholarship, Minority Attorney Conference, Marketing and Retention. Exemplifying the goal of true diversity, the Committee includes minorities, non-minorities, men and women, lawyers and staff members.

Diversity Committee Members:

• Joyce Ackerbaum Cox
• Rebecca C. Alexander
• A. Jeremy Atencio
• Ambika J. Biggs
• Fernando A. Bohorquez
• Joseph L. Chairez
• S. Jeanine Conley
• José C. Feliciano
• Daniel J. Guttman
• Nancy Inesta
• R. Steven Kestner
• Ted T. Martin
• Michele Merrill
• Phong D. Nguyen
• Ronald S. Okada, Chair
• Michelle D. Pector
• Lisa H. Pennington
• Deborah H. Renner
• Harlan W. Robins
• Maurice Sanchez
• Hewitt B. Shaw 
• Gregory C. Ulmer
• Monica S. Verma
• Shana M. Yates

Women's Committee

In addition to the Diversity Committee, Baker Hostetler formed a Women's Committee to provide recommendations to management with respect to challenges facing women in the legal profession. Our Houston office was a key signatory for the Women's Initiative by the Houston Bar Association, and our Houston Office Managing Partner, Lisa Pennington, was the first woman to manage a major law office in Texas. Ms. Pennington also serves as the Chair of the firm's Women's Committee.

The Committee, which comprises attorneys from all our offices as well as representation from firmwide Human Resources and Marketing, is divided into five subcommittees: Hiring/Retention, Social Inclusion, Work/Life Balance, Management and Marketing.

Women's Committee Members:

• Rebecca C. Alexander
• Mary Price Birk
• Leah E. DeLancey
• Nina K. Goldberg
• Suzanne K. Hanselman
• Karin Scholz Jenson
• Tara Kamradt
• Amy E. Kellogg
• Michele Merrill
• Rosemary O’Shea
• Janis M. Penman
• Lisa H. Pennington
• Georgeann G. Peters
• Patricia A. Poole
• Lauren J. Resnick
• Margaret Rosenthal
• Elizabeth A. Scully
• Amy M. Shepherd
• Betsy Smith
• Allison E. Turnbull
• Ona T. Wang
• Deborah A. Wilcox