Baker McKenzie has joined the Human Rights Campaign's Business Coalition for the Equality Act, calling on the US Congress to pass landmark legislation to guarantee non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and to strengthen civil rights laws for all in the United States. The coalition comprises over 450 businesses operating in all 50 US states and representing 14.6 million employees and $6.8 trillion in revenue across the country.
The Equality Act creates clear protections to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment―the bill ensures that LGBTQ employees are hired and promoted based on their performance. It also provides protections beyond the workplace, assuring freedom from discrimination for LGBTQ people in housing, credit, and jury service.
"At Baker McKenzie, we are committed to driving positive change and to creating a culture where every employee feels represented, included, and able to share who they truly are. We are proud to be joining hundreds of companies across the country in pushing for meaningful change through the Equality Act. This is one step of many that will help guarantee that each and every person feels secure and protected from discrimination under the law." said Colin Murray, Chief Executive Officer for North America at Baker McKenzie.
As the first truly global law firm, inclusion and diversity (I&D) is foundational to Baker McKenzie's culture, strategic vision, and a key to solving complex problems and designing practical solutions for clients. To assure equity and inclusion across the organization, in 2019 the Firm enacted global targets of 40% women, 40% men and 20% flexible (women, men or non-binary persons) by July 2025. The targets apply to partners, senior business professionals, committee leadership and candidate pools for recruitment.
"As a business that puts our employees, our clients, and those around us first, we have a responsibility to continue doing our part to support fairness, equity and inclusion for each and every person we work with. That's why we are taking this step in supporting the passage of the Equality Act in the United States," said Marredia Crawford, Associate Director for Inclusion and Diversity at Baker McKenzie.