Yetter Coleman strives to create an environment that is welcoming of individuals of different backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. To that end, we are committed to the hiring, retention, and advancement of a diverse group of lawyers and staff. We strongly believe that an environment of professionals of different gender, racial, and political backgrounds strengthens our Firm and allows us to bring a variety of perspectives to our profession. Gender diversity While the legal profession has grappled with how to retain and promote women attorneys, our Firm always has been focused on this important goal, and our commitment to recruiting and retaining the best women litigators has been demonstrated in many formal and informal ways. For example, our women lawyers host an annual Women's Leadership Forum, which brings professional women together for networking opportunities and to learn from successful women professionals. In addition, our women attorneys enjoy monthly informal luncheons to discuss topics of interest relating to the practice of law, with special guests invited to provide insights on particular topics. Central to the success of our women attorneys is the Firm's recognition of the challenges and opportunities unique to women lawyers. We have taken important steps to support varying career paths, including by offering a flexible schedule for those attorneys desiring such an arrangement. Recognizing that each attorney who requests reduced-hours status has different needs and circumstances, the Firm helps each attorney create a schedule that works for her and the Firm, without sacrificing the quality, interest, and challenge of the work or opportunity to advance in the Firm and as a litigator. Our women attorneys have demonstrated that, with the commitment of both firm and lawyer, flexible schedules work well. Racial diversity With lawyers and staff of African-American, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds, our Firm has laid the groundwork for a continually expanding presence of minority attorneys and staff who help shape our work environment and inform our practice. Indeed, based on recent NALP statistics, Yetter Coleman exceeds the national average for percentage of minority partners and associates in firms with fifty or fewer lawyers. Political diversity Our lawyers bring varying political perspectives that make our culture vibrant. Those of our attorneys with an interest in politics have taken active roles in both Democratic and Republican campaigns and causes. The Firm itself performs pro bono work on issues spanning the spectrum of political ideology, from challenging reverse discrimination in the U.S. Supreme Court, to assisting the Children's Rights Project in assessing the Texas foster care system, to representing the NAACP as amicus curiae in a major death penalty case. These are just a few examples of the diversity that creates a welcoming and inclusive environment at Yetter Coleman for all our talented attorneys and staff. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Eric Chenoweth, for attorneys, or Sue Wolfe, for staff, to learn how.