Diversity Commitment
OBJECTIVE: To reaffirm and maintain a continuing goal to develop and promote a diverse citizenship within our firm by encouraging an inclusive workforce and consciously prohibiting discrimination or intolerance in any form against race, religion, gender, age, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation. We strive to hire, retain, and promote women and minority attorneys, and provide those attorneys with opportunities within firm management, committees and practice groups. We will also encourage all our attorneys to join networking and support organizations and to create affinity or common interest groups.
Strategies
- Strong & Hanni continues the recruitment of minority employees in both attorney and staff positions.
- Require annual mandatory meetings regarding equal employments, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and diversity training for all of our attorneys and staff.
- Continue the inclusion of minority personnel in firm committees, activities and practice areas.
- We develop relationships with businesses owned by women and minorities.
- Strong & Hanni encourages the support and participation in the Utah Minority Bar Association and Women Lawyers of Utah Association.
- We actively seek lateral hires and practice group acquisition of women and minority attorneys.
- We encourage participation by attorneys in non-legal organizations supportive of women and minorities.
- We promote business relationships with women and minority vendors in legal and non-legal services.
- Strong & Hanni has yearly continuing education on culturally significant holidays honoring minorities for attorneys and staff.
- We highlight firm involvement with events promoting women and minorities within the firm as well as existing and potential clients. Include firm commitment to diversity on the firm website.
- We developed internal firm employment policies that promote the retention of female attorneys.
- We have formed a committee to proactively foster retention and advancement of female attorneys.
Strong & Hanni Scholarship Program
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Strong & Hanni Scholarship Program (“S&H Scholarship”), which is presented in partnership with The Larry H. Miller Company, is to assist law students from the S.J. Quinney College of Law and the J. Reuben Clark Law School who have a demonstrated record of service to racial and ethnic minority communities in completing their legal education.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
In addition to scholarship funds of $20,000, the winner of the S&H Scholarship will receive the opportunity to work as a paid summer associate at the firm along with the opportunity to work with corporate counsel through one of Utah’s premier companies, The Larry H. Miller Company. In the fall and spring semesters, the scholarship recipient will be paired with a partner at Strong & Hanni who will provide ongoing mentoring and networking opportunities as well as involvement with firm events, CLEs, and community service projects.
ELIGIBILITY
Must be a rising 2L enrolled in law school for the 2024-2025 academic school year and acceptance/completion as 2L 2025 summer associate at Strong & Hanni. Must also be a current member of the law school minority organization.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applications are due by 5:00pm on Friday, May 10, 2024 with finalists to be notified by Friday, May 17, 2024. Interviews will be conducted the week of May 20, 2024 with the winner to be notified by May 31, 2024. The award will be presented at UMBA’s annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet to be held in Fall 2024.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The recipient is selected by a review committee appointed by UMBA and Strong & Hanni to be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Future potential to positively impact and represent Utah’s racial and ethnic communities in the candidate’s field of practice;
- Academic achievement;
- Resume;
- Personal qualities and strengths;
- Two letters of recommendation;
- Legal writing sample;
- Short Essay no longer than two (2) pages detailing the applicant’s demonstrated record of service to racial/ethnic communities and their personal commitment to the people served.