Katherine McGrail: There is zero doubt that diversity fuels improved performance at a firm. It is good for the employees of a company. It is good for the company, and it is good for the clients of the company. That's why diversity is important to Murphy & McGonigle. The more diversity we have in perspectives and backgrounds, the better situated the firm will be to respond to its clients needs.
Elizabeth Del Cid: I feel that every law firm really needs to start with the ABCs in order to have an effective diversity and inclusion initiative. "A" stands for "advancement for all". We really try to encourage and have leaders that come from all avenues so that they can offer a different perspective when it comes time to provide our clients with the right solution. "B" stands for "business, business that is inclusive". We're looking to hire and retain superstars that bring to the table something new.
Katherine McGrail: The legal profession has historically been male dominated. The securities industry has historically been male dominated, so we have a double whammy here, where women are historically underrepresented in both industries. So the challenges that we face are significant, so if we band together, we can move forward to promote ourselves and to promote each other in an industry where we have historically been underrepresented.
Elizabeth Del Cid: They're people that I can go to, if I have questions about maternity leave or how to juggle my career and my family life. And I think one of our mottos is, it's not about "leaning in" all the time. It's about staying in and staying in the profession so that, you know, we can say, "I went to law school for a reason. I'm a practicing lawyer". And we can tell our children you could do it too. And "C" stands for "community outreach". You know, we think it's very important that our attorneys are not only involved in their office, but also in the areas where they live. And they do things with myriad of organizations that shows that they're really invested in leaving a lasting social footprint.
Katherine McGrail: We are small in numbers, but we are big in ideas. We want to be an industry leader for diversity and inclusion, and we want to be the number one firm for women attorneys. We recognize that those are lofty goals, but we intend to take steps in the right direction until we get there.
