Firm News

Wiggin and Dana is excited to announce that Jana Simon has joined the firm as its inaugural full-time Director of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (IDE), reinforcing the firm’s commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion, the advancement of underrepresented groups in talent acquisition and retention and championing the pursuit of equity at all levels of the firm.  As Director of IDE, Simon will be based in the New York office and provide strategic vision for the firm’s diversity efforts, working closely with its Executive Committee, IDE Committee, Women of Wiggin group, and various stakeholders throughout the firm to ensure inclusion and equity are reflected in everything we do.  

“Jana’s arrival will help us continue to work toward achieving our deeply rooted objective of maintaining a forward-thinking, high performance and supportive environment in which inclusion, diversity, and equity are infused into every business function of the firm,” Wiggin and Dana Managing Partner Paul A. Hughes said. “Jana’s experience leading an Am Law 100 firm’s first-ever national diversity, equity and inclusion strategy initiative will benefit Wiggin and Dana and our clients as we take IDE to [the next level] consistent with the firm’s strategic plan and the industry’s aspirations.”

At Wiggin and Dana, the firm is committed to inclusion, diversity and equity and believes it is critical to its ability to develop creative solutions for clients, as well as serve the communities where the firm has offices and the legal profession. Founded in Connecticut, Wiggin and Dana was one of the first law firms to sign the Connecticut Bar Association’s Pledge of Commitment to Best Practices for Gender Equity and is one of the initial signatories to The Connecticut Legal Community’s Diversity & Inclusion Pledge & Plan. These initiatives call on legal organizations to reaffirm their ongoing commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within their organizations and the greater Connecticut legal community. The firm also is a founding member of the Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity, an organization that aims to unite the Connecticut and Western Massachusetts legal community’s resources, energy, and commitment to making the region a more attractive place for attorneys of color and other diverse individuals to practice law.

“I am thrilled to join Wiggin & Dana to increase diverse representation, foster inclusive spaces, and create and expand equitable structures within the firm” said Simon. “One of the many reasons I joined Wiggin and Dana was the palpable energy and commitment from firm leadership around IDE, and I am excited to harness that drive to continue to move the needle in this space.”

Simon joins Wiggin and Dana from an Am Law 100 firm where she served as its first Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. She achieved metrics-driven success to improve the recruitment, retention, professional development, and advancement of attorneys and employees, with an emphasis on traditionally underrepresented populations.  She is experienced in Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule Certification process, facilitating resource groups and professional development programs, and developing inclusive environments and equitable practices with internal and external firm stakeholders. 

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies from Emory University, holds an Executive Certificate in Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, and has studied race, ethnicity and multicultural education.