June 22, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio –   As an original member of the Columbus Bar Association’s Managing Partner’s Diversity Initiative in 2000, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA (SZD) is pleased to announce the most recent findings by the Association regarding the historic Initiative pledge over five years ago.

Reporting twice as many minority attorneys in central Ohio law firms since 2000, annual survey results from the 24 participating Diversity Initiative law firms show significant increases in attorneys of color at every level compared to 2000, the first year statistics were collected.  Most notably, from 2000 to 2006, the number of minority attorneys overall increased 117% from 47 to 102.

“We are proud of each firm’s commitment to diversity and pleased to see the results of the concerted effort Columbus area firms are taking to enhance their culture,” says Jim Davidson, President of SZD.

In late May, the Columbus Bar Association (CBA) announced a new five year commitment – and a host of new strategies – for area law firms, law schools and the CBA to continue their public pledge to build a more diverse legal community in Columbus, Ohio.

“For five years the Columbus legal community has powered a comprehensive effort to recruit, retain and promote talented minority attorneys, an effort reflected in firms of every size from twice the number of minority partners to twice the minority summer clerks,” said Sally Bloomfield, president of the CBA.  “This is the signal year we get to leverage the passion of the original Managing Partner’s Diversity Initiative with superior knowledge about how to improve in the next five years, specifically, retainment efforts and continued changes in firm culture.”

The new 2006-2010 Diversity Initiative action plan, signed in May, restates the commitment to recruit, hire, train, retain and invite to partnership attorneys who are African-American/Black, Asian-Pacific American, Native American Indian and Hispanic.  Each participating organization agrees to write a diversity plan, and create and promote an image of Columbus as a “diverse community of lawyers.”

The CBA’s effort is seen as a model program for bar associations across the country, and has been recognized locally, statewide and nationally, including the 2003 “Diversity Champion” award from United Way, the 2005 “Achievement Award” from the Ohio Society of  Association Executives and the 2003 “Partnership Award” from the American Bar Association.

May’s recommitment includes: twenty three law firms, the John Mercer Langston Bar Association (comprised primarily of African American attorneys), the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Capital University Law School, the Columbus City Attorney Office and the Columbus Bar Association.

Established in 1966, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn is one of Ohio’s largest full-service law firms.  The firm has over 110 attorneys located in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati and serves a diverse clientele ranging from large corporations to small, entrepreneurial and family-owned businesses. The firm offers a breadth of services focused on areas most demanded by today’s businesses. For more information, please visit www.szd.com.

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Contact:       
Joanna Arnason, Marketing Manager
614.462.5025 or jarnason@szd.com