Firm News

Full-service law firm creates action plan to advance the firm toward its diversity, equity and inclusion goals

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (July 2021) – Wiggin and Dana is proud to announce the launch of IDE DRIVE, a strategic action plan that will advance the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) efforts of the firm. DRIVE, which stands for Diversity through investing in Representation, Infrastructure, Career Visioning and Education takes a holistic approach to increasing diversity by embedding IDE principles into all functions of the firm, including talent management, recruitment, policies, communications, and training.

“Increasing our diversity and ensuring equity is critical to our firm’s overall mission to provide the best client service possible. That means continuing to diversify our forward-thinking team and to maintain a high-performing and rewarding workplace,” said Managing Partner Paul A. Hughes. “Varying experiences and perspectives and fostering an inclusive workplace are necessary to our continued provision of winning legal strategies.”

IDE DRIVE details initiatives and strategies within each of the four areas, with the end goal of Wiggin and Dana being in the top 33 percent in its law firm peer group for diversity in five years. In 10 years, the firm plans to move from the top 33 percent to the top 25 percent.

Over the next five years, Wiggin and Dana will focus on the recruitment of diverse talent, the addition of structure to its talent management system, and the examination of firm processes to ensure equal access to success and leadership. The firm also will initiate a multi-pronged educational strategy to drive inclusive behaviors and leadership and build IDE infrastructure to incentivize and hold everyone accountable for engaging in IDE efforts.

“IDE DRIVE is designed to help our firm not only set realistic and measurable goals to increasing diverse representation at the firm, but also provides a strategic roadmap to ensure equity and transparency in all of our processes and structures,” said Jana Simon, Wiggin and Dana’s Director of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. “With this actionable plan, we will create sustainable progress that we can model for years to come.”

In a joint statement, Chief Operating Officer Mike DeLargy and partner Najia S. Khalid, the Co-Chairs of Wiggin and Dana’s IDE Committee said, “IDE always has been a core value at Wiggin and Dana. We are committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable law firm environment where every lawyer and professional is provided with meaningful opportunities to thrive at each stage of their career. We believe that IDE DRIVE is essential to continue to build that workplace culture at our firm.”

For more information about Wiggin and Dana’s inclusion, diversity and equity efforts, visit https://www.wiggin.com/inclusion-diversity-and-equity/.

Wiggin and Dana is a full-service law firm with more than 150 attorneys in Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Florida. Consistently recognized by Chambers USA, IFLR, Benchmark Litigation and others, Wiggin and Dana attorneys deliver high-quality, efficient and cost-effective legal services to a diverse client base, including Fortune 50 & 100 finance, insurance, defense, aerospace and life sciences companies, hospitals, universities, charitable organizations and high-net-worth individuals. For more information about the firm, visit www.wiggin.com.