PHILADELPHIA, August 9, 2007 - International law firm Duane Morris LLP is pleased to announce that it has appointed partner Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr. as the firm's first Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). In this role, Nolan, a distinguished member of the Trial Practice Group and chair of the firm's Diversity Committee, will lead the development and implementation of programs that foster recruitment of and success for diverse attorneys throughout the firm.
Serving in his new capacity, Nolan will act as the principal manager for all of the firm's diversity-related efforts. His primary duty will be to ensure that all members of the firm are acting in accordance with the Diversity Mission Statement, which sets forth the firm's policy mandating an inclusive professional environment. The CDO will also serve the firm by both creating new diversity-related programs and expanding existing ones for the purpose of further establishing the firm as a leader in this crucial area. Mentoring and career advice to young lawyers is also likely to be a focus of Nolan's tenure.
"I am deeply honored to be taking on this challenging and exciting task, and am gratified to have the full support of the firm's management and partners," Nolan said. "Diversity within law firms, including Duane Morris, is an issue we must address on a daily basis, and I believe that our efforts will reap rewards not only for Duane Morris, but for the national legal community as a whole."
"Diversity is a major focus of the firm, and we are confident that this new position of Chief Diversity Officer will help us build on our achievements in this area," Duane Morris Chairman Sheldon Bonovitz said. "We have chosen Nolan, a nationally known force and advocate for diversity within law firms, as an indication of our commitment to one of our highest goals and our clients' principal expectations: a truly diverse attorney base."
Formerly the head of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group in Philadelphia, Nolan has represented banks, insurance companies and other businesses in major disputes. He advises clients on matters related to diversity issues and anti-discrimination policies. He has an extensive background in defending major corporations in product and toxic tort matters, and has also represented numerous hospitals and physicians in complex health-related matters. In addition to his legal practice, Nolan is an active member in the Philadelphia legal community as a committed advocate for diversity in law firms. He is a co-founder and the first 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, a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and 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. In 2004, Mr. Atkinson was a recipient of the Rainbowmaker Award created by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association of America "to recognize exceptional lawyers whose leadership, courage, and commitment stand tall as advocates for a more diverse legal profession and who, through their advocacy, have sought to create rainbows of opportunity for others."
Nolan earned an LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1969 and graduated with an LL.B. from Howard University School of Law in 1967.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP, one of the 100 largest law firms in the world, is a full-service firm of more than 600 lawyers. In addition to legal services, Duane Morris has independent affiliates employing approximately 100 professionals engaged in other disciplines. With offices in major markets, and as part of an international network of independent law firms, Duane Morris represents clients across the United States and around the world.