Beck Redden LLP has proudly signed on to the Houston Bar Association (HBA) 2021 Gender Fairness Commitment Statement as an outward demonstration of our unwavering commitment to workplace diversity, including gender diversity.

The 2021 revised Commitment Statement broadens the approach and embraces a more inclusive understanding of gender diversity. In revising the Commitment Statement, the HBA Gender Fairness Committee sought input from the HBA Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the LGBTQ+ Committee. The full text of our commitment can be found below.

2021 GENDER FAIRNESS COMMITMENT STATEMENT

WHEREAS the Houston Bar Association (“HBA”) announced its Gender Fairness Initiative in 2003 patterned after similar programs of other bar associations; and

WHEREAS the HBA established a Gender Fairness Task Force to develop programs and policies to promote equality in the legal profession; and

WHEREAS during the 2006-2007 bar year, the Task Force became a standing committee of the HBA and is now known as the Gender Fairness Committee; and

WHEREAS studies of the legal profession indicate a persistent lack of gender diversity in law firms, and among general counsel, law school deans, and the judiciary, and in many roles in the profession;

NOW THEREFORE on behalf of my organization, I commit to taking concrete action, by utilizing recognized best-practices and regularly evaluating and improving our organization’s performance on defined and measurable criteria, to achieve and assist others in achieving the following objectives:

1. To address the lack of gender diversity in leadership positions with a material increase in representation by a target date formally specified by our organization;
2. To develop and implement objective and unbiased criteria and procedures for achieving equity and interrupting bias in recruitment, hiring, evaluation, assignment, retention, advancement, and promotion of attorneys to partner and/or into leadership positions;
3. To promote policies, practices, sponsorship opportunities, transparency, and accountability to achieve gender equity;
4. To support processes to obtain and act on feedback from employees and others regarding efforts and performance toward increasing gender equity and equality;
5. To offer professional development opportunities in order to support gender equality for attorneys at all levels throughout their careers (e.g., mentoring programs, networking opportunities, and opportunities to develop relationships with key stakeholders);
6. To identify and promote opportunities for gender diversity at all levels through significant leadership roles and advancement within the organization (e.g., participate in career-advancing projects, committees, practice opportunities, and management training); and
7. To allow for appropriate flexible work arrangements that present an equitable and viable option for all attorneys, and to employ measures that support work-life balance and wellness.