Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Hahn Loeser & Parks, diversity, equity, and inclusion are our foundation and future. United in our commitment to excellence, the Firm integrates a wealth of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, allowing us to provide our clients with exceptional service as trusted advisors and skilled problem solvers. Our Firm’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion has endured since our founding in 1920 and continues to evolve and inform our civic-minded, strategic, and mission-driven approach to attracting and retaining top talent, driving innovation, and delivering superior results.

Hahn Loeser’s History of Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

In 1920, Hahn Loeser’s Catholic and Jewish founding partners, despite having already achieved the standing of pre-eminent attorneys of their era, were precluded, due to their religious affiliations, from practice within the elite law firms of the day. They joined together to serve the legal needs of the greater Cleveland community. Today, through the strength of our diverse talent, Hahn Loeser has grown to be one of the top full-service law firms in the nation.

At Hahn Loeser, we believe that embracing diversity and inclusion is not only socially responsible but also a strategic imperative that drives the Firm’s innovation, inclusive workplace culture, and recruitment and retention efforts.

DEI Committee

While all personnel are seen as leaders in the Firm’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which has been active for 25 years, is tasked with creating and tracking compliance with the Firm’s DEI strategy. The current Committee consists of Firm personnel at all levels and in multiple offices:

Women's Leadership Initiative

The Women’s Leadership Initiative (“WLI”) reflects our Firm’s long history of supporting women in the practice of law. For decades, our women’s initiatives have been at the core of our efforts to foster an inclusive work environment to encourage, support, retain, and recruit female legal talent. We advocate to promote and advance our women attorneys to become leaders within the Firm, and we support and mentor our women attorneys to help them grow fulfilling careers at our Firm. Partner Sonja C. Rice currently leads this initiative. Read more about the WLI here.

DEI in Action

Mansfield Rule Certification

To underscore our Firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, we participated in the Mansfield Rule Certification for Mid-Size firms through Diversity Lab for the period September 2021 through March 2023. The certification process aims to increase and sustain diversity in leadership within law firms by broadening the pool of historically underrepresented attorneys, including women, racial and/or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities who are considered for Firm leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions. We are pleased to announce that we were awarded Mansfield certification in May 2023.

DEI in Recruiting

At Hahn Loeser, we value diversity and treat all employees and candidates based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We actively seek a wide diversity of talented individuals to join our team. Please contact our Manager of Legal Personnel and Recruiting, Jodi Bosak at jbosak@hahnlaw.com, if you are interested in pursuing a career at Hahn Loeser.

Gender Equity in the Legal Industry

The Firm is proud to be a founding member of Cleveland’s Gender Equity in the Legal Industry (GELI) Forum, a collaboration of local law firms committed to identifying and addressing gender inequities at private law firms.

Hahn Loeser’s Family Program

The Firm fully supports its personnel in maintaining their career goals when they become parents. The Firm’s Family Program assists parents during their transition to and from parental leave to ensure their success upon their return to work. Among other things, the Firm pairs new parents with a peer mentor to provide support and advocacy before, during, and after they return from parental leave.

Supplier Diversity

Hahn Loeser’s commitment to diversity and inclusion does not stop at our doors, but extends into our communities through, among other things, our engagement of diverse and inclusive suppliers. Hahn Loeser participates in the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Inclusion Marketplace and other similar organizations in our various markets to identify diverse suppliers that may meet our needs. That includes supporting economic development efforts and tapping into a diverse pool of external suppliers. We support and entrust our Firm to the care of these businesses that, in turn, help our communities to thrive. If you would like to be considered to join our network of suppliers, please contact our Director of Facilities, Rob Cundiff at rscundif@hahnlaw.com. We welcome all inquiries.

Our Commitment

Hahn Loeser recognized from its very start more than a century ago that our differences, when combined, are our great strengths. We remain committed to our founding principles, as it has never been more essential to build and maintain a supportive and inclusive workplace culture to drive client engagement, personal and professional satisfaction, and continued innovation. For additional information on the Firm’s DEI efforts, please contact our D&I Committee Chair, Sean Medina.

Message From Our CEO: The 2020 Murder of George Floyd

Inclusion Over Isolation: Our Firm’s Message During the COVID Lockdown