Diversity

At Preti Flaherty, diversity and inclusion are essential components of a vibrant and healthy workplace that brings out the best in our lawyers and staff.  This commitment began nearly fifty years ago when, as a small upstart surrounded by established firms, we chose to follow our own ideals and build a different type of law firm. Today our attorneys’ diverse backgrounds, identities, cultures, and experiences enhance our capacity to serve clients.

Diversity and Inclusion. We strive to foster an environment that enables our lawyers to reach their full potential.   We recognize and value diversity and inclusion as reflected in our policies, including domestic partner health benefits, paid parental leave, and flexible work schedules. The firm has committed to serve as one of the Founders of the Maine Justice Foundation’s Racial Justice Fund and is a signatory to the Maine State Chamber of Commerce’s Standing in Solidarity pledge.

Associate Development and Mentoring. Our associates represent the future of the firm, and we believe that investment in their success benefits the firm and its clients. Each of our associates participates in a robust mentoring program.  The program is designed to focus on providing all associates access to advancement and development opportunities.  We also hold regular associate luncheons, and an associate summer outing, as well as monthly associate trainings on a wide range of topics including business development, substantive areas of law, practice management and other tools to help our associates develop and mature their practices.  We hold annual informational sessions on compensation and advancement to ensure that everyone understands firm operations and what it takes to succeed in the firm.

Maine D1L Diversity Summer Associate Program. Preti Flaherty participates in a unique initiative focused on building a diverse legal community in Maine by attracting a diverse pool of first-year law students (1Ls) from across the country for a 10-week paid summer internship. More information about the program and how to apply can be found here.

Equal Employment Opportunity. It is the policy of the Firm to provide equal opportunity employment to all employees and applicants for employment. No person shall be discriminated against in employment because of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or political affiliation. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Diversity Committee. The firm’s Diversity Committee reports directly to the firm’s Management Committee, collaborates with the firm’s practice group chairs, and is composed of attorneys and senior staff actively involved in all aspects of the firm. It meets monthly and engages in a range of actions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Those actions include a diversity action plan, a mandatory annual in-person diversity and inclusion training session for all firm attorneys (with national-caliber speakers), a dedicated budget for supporting attorney participation in diversity-related seminars and events, a quarterly diversity newsletter, a periodic diversity survey, recognition of cultural heritage months, and promotion of other recruitment and professional development opportunities to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm.

• Kristy M. Abraham
• Kathryn Baker
• Patricia J. Ballard
• Mariana Baron
• R. Benjamin Borowski
• Haley Gallant
• Rachel Lawrence
• Bonnie L. Martinolich
• Kijana Plenderleith
• Sigmund D. Schutz
• Shana M. Solomon
• Matthew S. Warner
• Harper A. Weissburg

Community Engagement. We value the communities in which we practice and the organizations that foster healthy communities and bring change.  Across the firm, we are involved in organizations related to diversity and inclusion in bar associations, pro bono assignments, and charitable and non-profit organizations. We provide funding and sponsorship for attorneys to seek leadership roles in professional and community organizations, and support attendance at conferences relating to diversity and inclusion.

Our attorneys are now or recently have been members of, support, and in most instances, have held leadership positions in the following organizations, among others:

• American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE)
• Campaign for Justice
• Campaign for Legal Services
• Forum Francophone Des Affairs
• Goodwill Industries of Northern New England
• Hallowell Food Bank
• Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)
• International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
• Justice Action Group
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
• Lawyers for Civil Rights
• Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation (MASR)
• Maine and American Bar Foundations
• Maine Equal Justice Partners
• Maine Justice Foundation
• Maternal Health Alliance of Maine
• The Mitchell Institute
• National LGBT Bar Association
• New Hampshire Bar Foundation
• Prosperity ME
• Susan L. Curtis Foundation
• United Way
• Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP)