As Johnson Lambert reflects on the progress of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at our firm this past year, the firm is most proud of the steadfast commitment to change and increasingly nuanced conversations about both that which divides us and that which unites us. The firm has set aside significant time and resources to further the conversation on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Highlights of Johnson Lambert’s support for the firm in this continued evolution include:

Active Participation

Our DEI Committee worked in four working groups that are aligned with our strategic priorities: communications, discussion series, education, and HR/recruiting. Our Committee volunteer base expanded near the beginning of the year to support these efforts, and then, with even more interest and passion for supporting projects and initiatives, we welcomed more team members into the committee in the fall. As of December 2022, over 10% of our entire employee population volunteer their time and energy to DEI programs at Johnson Lambert. 

Continued Commitment

The commitment of our DEI Committee remains steadfast as our firm and society around us continues to evolve. As a cornerstone of our DEI initiatives, the committee continued some of the key projects that have proved to be meaningful to our firm in past years, including:

• Hosting our courageous conversation series, in which we challenge our team members to hear new perspectives, share their experiences, and learn from others.
• Actively listening to the thoughts, concerns, and ideas of staff through our annual Day of Listening and Understanding.

Innovative Initiatives

Johnson Lambert is committed to continuously growing and evolving with our people, and we’re excited about the new programs established in 2022. This year the committee founded a book club, used our signatory partnership with CEO Action to host a special open discussion, and worked with firm leaders to establish a new annual mental wellness break. 

Through the establishment of our employee book club, team members were challenged to better understand the complexities surrounding some of today’s most significant social issues through the lens of literature. The club offered interested staff a unique opportunity to read about a chosen topic and discuss the fresh perspectives shared in the book. The first book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, challenged readers of the book club to place themselves in the shoes of Bryan Stevenson and his journey of discovering the harsh realities of the American legal system. The second book, We Are Not Like Them, told a story about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event.

Through CEO Action, and as a signatory member, the DEI Committee hosted an open discussion led by a candid conversation with Golda Rosheuvel, who currently stars as Bridgerton’s Queen Charlotte and journalist, Lisa Ling. Lisa and Golda talked about Golda’s experience being a queer, bi-racial woman in today’s society, about bringing one’s whole self to work, and how Bridgerton is normalizing diversity and delivering a powerful message about representation.

Leaders within the DEI Committee and leaders of our form worked together to put the mental wellbeing of our employees first by establishing an annual mental wellness break in July. In addition to the half-day Fridays offered to employees each summer, Johnson Lambert encouraged team members to be offline to enjoy some much deserved rest and relaxation.

And lastly, team members had the opportunity to use their floating holiday as an opportunity to celebrate a holiday or event that was meaningful to them personally. Some of our employees took the opportunity to observe during Good Friday, Veteran’s Day, Pride Day and more. 

There are many more DEI initiatives our team championed this past year, and a good deal more ideas and projects in the works for next year, all made possible by incredible passion and dedication of our DEI Committee and firm as a whole.