www.namwolf.org

WHO: The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms

WHAT: A nonprofit trade association comprised of minority and women-owned law firms who exhibit excellence in the legal profession.

WHERE: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

WHEN: 2001

WHY: Oddly enough the lawyers who started NAMWOLF had once worked for big corporations, moved out on their own and now found it difficult to get business from their former employers.  In fact, “very, very, very difficult,” says Yolanda Coly, the organization’s managing director, when all they wanted was a “fair opportunity to compete.”

HOW: The organization realized if it was going to get anywhere it had to change the corporate mindset. And so it made things easy by identifying for big business the top minority- and women-owned law firms right in their own backyards and then making the introductions. “Quite frankly, and to be perfectly honest, I’d say about 90% of the people who are not being inclusive, who are not being fair, are not because they don’t want to be,” says Coly “...(but) simply because they don’t know how to be.”

MEMBERS ONLY: NAMWOLF’s goal is to have a blend of minority- and women-owned law firms across the US, representing a variety of corporate law expertise. But before they can be admitted for membership to NAMWOLF, law firm candidates must complete an extensive application and screening process. It’s imperative, for example, that they be AV-rated. A Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rating shows that a law firm has reached the height of professional excellence and experience, and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. The entire admission process can take several months.

PRO BONO: NAMWOLF have a number of initiatives to promote diversity, including the Corporate and Public Entities Partnering Program. Corporations who join CPEPP agree to eventually earmark a minimum of 5% of their outside counsel budget with certified minority and women-owned law firms. There is no cost to join.

STATS: NAMWOLF has a national network of 62 minority- and women-owned law firms representing 600 lawyers.

MOTTO: Legal excellence knows no color or gender.