PHILADELPHIA, January 9, 2014—Duane Morris LLP is pleased to announce that Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., the firm's Chief Diversity Officer and a partner in its Trial Practice Group, will be honored by the Rutgers Law—Camden Black Law Students Association during its 18th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Champions of Social Justice Awards Banquet. The annual banquet, to be held on January 24 at Rutgers–Camden, recognizes community leaders committed to social justice and equality who invoke the spirit and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Atkinson was selected for his impact on society, public service, length of service and leadership qualities.
This year's honorees include former Duane Morris partner Paulette Brown, the first woman of color named to lead the American Bar Association beginning in 2015, and Wendell E. Pritchett, Chancellor of Rutgers—Camden.
Atkinson is the former chair of the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group, Inc., a consortium of law firms and corporations committed to increasing ethnic and racial diversity in Philadelphia's larger law firms. In addition, he is a member of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association, and he was formerly appointed co-chair of the Conference of Minority Partners in Majority Corporate Law Firms, a constituent entity of the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession of the ABA. Previously, Atkinson was named to The Legal Intelligencer's 2011 Diverse Attorneys of the Year, along with partner Bob Archie, for their outstanding professional achievements. He was also honored as a 2010 Minority Business Advocate by the Philadelphia Business Journal. In 2009, Atkinson received the inaugural Diversity Leadership Award from the American Bar Association, Section of Litigation. In 2008, he was appointed to the Mayor's Advisory Task Force on Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and was the recipient of the inaugural Chancellor's Diversity Award from the Philadelphia Bar Association.
About the Diversity and Inclusion Program
Duane Morris manages its diversity and inclusion program with the objective of utilizing the best talent worldwide in solving legal problems. The firm recruits a diverse pool of lawyers who collectively possess an awareness of cutting-edge 21st century issues—legal, social and economic—for which clients require solutions. Because diversity management is integral to the core business of our management and each of our practice groups, our programs for the recruitment, retention and promotion of historically minority groups will continue and grow. The firm's attorneys and its leadership believe in accentuating the added value that diverse attorneys possess and generating profitable new business opportunities from this added value.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP, a global law firm with more than 700 attorneys in offices across the United States and around the world, is asked by a broad array of clients to provide innovative solutions to today's legal and business challenges.
