In The Press

Laurie Robinson
and Corporate Counsel Women of Color: Building and Supporting a Diverse Future in the Legal Profession

Multi-Cultural Law
2005 Edition

By Meta J. Mereday

"The Phenomenal growth that we experienced in just 1 1/2 years from 20 to 800 women attorneys of color who work in-house proves that we are addressing an overlooked need," states Laurie Robinson, founder and CEO, Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC). incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) in November 2004, CCWC provides a support network to in-house women attorneys of color to promote their efforts within the legal profession nationally and internationally and emphasizes the importance of diversity. "We now have a support mechanism for women of color in Fortune 1000 and Forbes 2000 companies that directly relates to their career development needs," comments Robinson, who is an assistant general counsel in the labor and employment group at CBS Broadcasting Inc. in New York. "Women of color in this profession are so scattered and often disenfranchised by having no point of contact with individuals with similar backgrounds and experiences."

Initially, Robinson self-published a networking directory to provide contact information for scattered attorneys to reach out for support and share best practices. "CCWC expanded the information sharing with a weekly Internet discussion list and a quarterly newsletter that profiles members' career achievements and provides professional development resources," adds Robinson, who graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina Central University and received her juris doctorate from Indiana University School of Law. "We have posted more than 1,000 jobs, and several of our members have received new opportunities through this service."

The next step for CCWC is taking its members to the next level by hosting its very first Career Strategies Conference in New York City at the Hilton on September 29. The conference theme, "moving to New Dimensions," emphasizes the organization's goal to empower and educate members. "My view of diversity is three-fold and involves not only recruiting efforts to bring in diverse talent, but also incorporating a true commitment to their professional growth by providing an environment conducive to retention, and finally, providing them with substantive opportunities to advance." This is often not the case for women of color who are doubly disadvantaged because they lack the connections to establish the right relationships, nor are they given the assignments to build thier practices and advance. "In looking at the declining numbers overall of minorities in the legal profession, someone has to start somewhere to remedy the problem" says Robinson. This includes CCWC's plans to collaborate with minority college and law students. "We are reaching back and helping to make sure that there are future lawyers of color in the pipeline to carry on the legacy that Thurgood Marshall committed his life to achieve- equality," adds Robinson.

With a mentoring program under way, ongoing strategic networking events, an informative quarterly newsletter, and a major career conference, Laurie Robinson and the Corporate Counsel Women of Color are uniting to improve diversity in the legal profession.

For more information about the Corporate Counsel Women of Color, visit www.ccwomenofcolor.org.