Arnstein & Lehr's Diversity Committee   It is a fundamental mission of Arnstein & Lehr LLP to promote diversity in the workplace and to engender an environment free of workplace harassment or discrimination of any kind. To this end, the firm is committed to fostering a work environment that gives every person the opportunity to contribute fully to the firm and its business goals, regardless of an individual’s race, culture, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, religion, or sexual orientation. We recognize that by capturing the unique contribution each individual has to offer—whether by virtue of cultural background, race, gender, talents, values, affiliations, or other differences—we can add significantly to the firm’s overall performance and contribute to a greater social good.   Arnstein & Lehr hosts a reception for minority law students. For more information about this event click here.   Arnstein & Lehr participates in Just the Beginning Foundation's Summer Legal Institute program.  For more information about this event click here. Arnstein & Lehr embraces diversity as essential to its mission and is committed to creating a workplace that reflects the increasingly diverse nature of the legal profession and the clients we serve. At Arnstein & Lehr, we encourage a professional environment that values attorneys and staff of all backgrounds. To that end, we are committed to cultivating a rich, dynamic workplace in which every member of the firm is uniquely valued and treated with professionalism and respect. We strive to ensure that all employees are free from discrimination and harassment of any form while fostering an environment that is both inclusive and inherently fair.   Our Diversity Committee ensures that we reinforce and enhance our collective diversity and serves to enhance legal excellence, leadership, collaboration, and community within the firm. Led by Partner Robert Cichocki, the committee is also charged with overseeing diversity initiatives and promoting an inclusive, positive, and supportive work environment. With guidance from the Diversity Committee, attorneys and staff participate regularly in diversity programs, training, panel discussions, and leadership seminars. We are proud of our accomplishments in fostering diversity and continually search for ways to broaden and enhance our efforts. In 2008, Arnstein & Lehr’s Diversity Committee aims to:   n Increase our diversity in key firm leadership roles including our operating and recruiting committees, and through mentoring and training programs. n Strengthen our support of organizations committed to diversity, such as the American Bar Association’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, the Association of Corporate Counsel, Corporate Counsel Women of Color, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, and the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms. n Initiate more diversity-related events, activities, and programs for our attorneys and staff. n Enhance recruitment procedures aimed at attracting and retaining top talent from diverse backgrounds.     The firm aims to help women advance professionally—both within the firm and within legal and business communities—through the support of women’s organizations and women-owned businesses. In July 2007, the Diversity Committee spearheaded the first Arnstein & Lehr Woman of Vision Award, a women leaders’ networking lunch. It brought together female business leaders from across the Chicago area, including executives in government, law, health care, business, and education. Cheryle Jackson, the first woman and African-American president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, was our first recipient of the honor. In 2005, the subcommittee welcomed the Women’s National Basketball Association franchise Chicago Sky to the city, hosting a luncheon attended by dozens of prominent area business women. The event was created to provide grass roots support of the new franchise within the Chicago women’s business community. In addition, as part of our commitment to increasing the number of women and minority attorneys in the firm, Arnstein & Lehr is a signatory to The Chicago Bar Association’s Call to Action on Women’s Leadership in the Legal Profession and the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms. We pledge, among other initiatives, to increase the percentage of women and minority partners in all our offices through recruitment and lateral expansion.			Arnstein & Lehr and our attorneys are proud to support many organizations committed to diversity and inclusion, a few of which include:   n AIDS Foundation of Chicago n Alliance of Latinos and Jews n American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) n Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago n Center for Economic Progress n Center on Halsted n Chicago Bar Association’s Committee on Legal Rights for Lesbians and Gay Men n Chicago Urban League n Cuban American Bar Association n Exchange City Program n American Heart Association's Go Red for Women n Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF) n Illinois State Bar Association’s Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity n Korean American Bar Association n Minority Legal Education Resources   As part of our goal to attract and retain top talent from diverse backgrounds, our attorneys regularly:   n Host informational receptions and seminars for law students of color at our offices. n Attend minority students’ receptions at Chicago-area law schools. n Attend national Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) conferences and seminars. n Attend the Cook County Bar Association’s Minority Job Fair.       Robert T. Cichocki Committee Co-chair 312.876.6926 Email         Sonja K. Dickens Committee Co-chair 954.713.7619 Email           Diversity Committee Members Apostolides, George Balonick, Bruce Cichocki, Robert Dickens, Sonja K. Eveland, W. Toby Gross, Nicole Hirsh, Jason McGuire, Thomas Naveja, Christopher Piloto, Hilda Sarhaddi, Jennifer Sosa, Jose Stein, Miriam Wei, Elizabeth Wolf McKenzie, Theresia     [Download PDF Version]
n	W. Toby Eveland appointed to Illinois State Bar Association's Task Force on Diversity as well elected to Board of Directors for the Gay and Lesbian Bar Association of Chicago.
n	Chicago office hosts Just the Beginning Foundation. Click here for more information.
n	Fort Lauderdale office hosts a reception for minority law students. Click here for more information.
n	Sponsorship of Exchange City program, Minority Legal Education Resources, Center for Economic Progress.
n	Tampa Partner Vanessa Negron Cohn, founder and current chairwoman of the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF).
n	Fort Lauderdale Partner Sonja Dickens, honored by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) at their Women’s History Month Reception.
n	Chicago Partner Robert Cichocki, member of the board of directors, Center on Halsted.
n	Chicago Associate W. Toby Eveland, chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Committee on Legal Rights for Lesbians and Gay Men; Illinois State Bar Association’s Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity; founding president of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s junior board of directors; member of AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s board of directors; gala committee member for Equality Illinois.
n	Chicago Associate Nicole Gross, student mentor at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
n	Chicago Partner Stephanie Kim, member of the Korean American Bar Association.
n	Chicago Partner Cynde Hirschtick Munzer, member of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women executive leadership team.
n	Chicago Partner Bruce Balonick, board member of the Alliance of Latinos and Jews, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to building new and enhancing existing relations between the Jewish and Latino communities by focusing on issues of common concern.