February 5, 2009 – The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) will honor two of the nation’s leading corporate legal departments and spotlight one law firm with diversity awards at its South/Southwest Region Diversity Dinner at the Westin Galleria in Dallas on February 26. The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m.
Receiving MCCA’s Employer of Choice Award this year are the legal departments of American Airlines and Coca-Cola. They were chosen for demonstrating a commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace. Accepting the awards on behalf of their legal departments will be Gary Kennedy, General Counsel of American Airlines, and Geoffrey Kelly, General Counsel for Coca-Cola.
One law firm, the Southwest Region offices of Vinson & Elkins LLP, was selected to receive the Thomas L. Sager Award, named in honor of Thomas L. Sager, MCCA Board member and Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the DuPont Company. This award is given to law firms that demonstrate sustained commitment to improving the hiring, retention, and promotion of minority attorneys. Accepting the award for Vinson & Elkins will be partner Barron Wallace.
From 4:00 – 5:15 p.m., MCCA will also host the Diversity Dialogue, a panel discussion of diversity best practices featuring the award winners. The Diversity Dialogue is part of a professional development series that gives attendees information about award-winning diversity initiatives in their local areas, as well as practical information they can take back to their companies.
The Honorable Judge Sam A. Lindsay, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, will deliver opening remarks at the dinner. Rachel Gonzalez, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Dean Foods, and Wayne Watts, Sr. Executive Vice President and General Counsel of AT&T, will serve as co-hosts.
The Dallas dinner is part of an annual series of five dinners designed to address issues of diversity in corporate law departments. MCCA Diversity Dinners are also held in Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco.
The Minority Corporate Counsel Association advocates for the expanded hiring, promotion, and retention of minority attorneys in corporate legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA furthers its mission by publishing research on achieving diversity and best practices in the legal profession, honoring innovative diversity programs with its Employer of Choice and Thomas L. Sager awards, and assisting diverse law students through the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Gay and Lesbian Law Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel.
Founded in 1997, MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has a southeast regional office in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, go to mcca.com.