Diversity Initiatives



Our Executive Committee determined that the firm needed to specifically address diversity issues by engaging consultants and developing a formal diversity plan. Our diversity plan commits us to:

• Maintain an active Diversity Committee that will work closely with our recruiting and development committees to ensure we actively recruit, mentor and retain a diverse professional workforce.
• Promote women and minority attorneys into membership.
• Increase the number of women and minority attorneys in leadership positions within our firm.
• Support the Diversity Committee, Female Mentor Group, African-American Affinity Group and other initiatives directed at firm diversity and inclusiveness.

Bass, Berry & Sims appreciates the fact that each of our attorneys has unique personal life priorities and requirements. We are committed to helping our attorneys satisfy the needs of their personal lives while reaching their full professional potential. To that end, we adopted a policy permitting alternative work schedules. The policy states that "attorneys can and will remain committed professionals while working a reduced schedule, and that such a schedule should not suspend attorneys' opportunities for professional growth, experience and career advancement." Numerous attorneys have benefited from this policy, which led in part to Bass, Berry & Sims being named one of the 50 Best Law Firms for Women in 2008 and 2009 by Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers. For more on this recognition, click here.

Our commitment to diversity also extends to our gay and lesbian attorneys and staff. We offer domestic partnership insurance benefits and have a longstanding policy against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. We also support our attorneys by enabling them to attend the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Bar Association Annual Conference at the firm’s expense.

"At Bass, Berry & Sims you have the opportunity to be yourself and to achieve your maximum potential. The firm works hard to ensure that hiring and promotion decisions are based upon merit and not irrelevant factors. The diversity of our attorneys is considered to be a very positive development in the growth of our firm." - Sam Felker, Member