DALLAS, Feb. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — BAL, the corporate immigration powerhouse, was recognized this month by Lawyers of Color (LOC) for its industry-leading commitment to organizational diversity, equity and inclusion. The Washington DC-based non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of legal professionals of color recognized BAL with the Aspire Diversity Award and will feature the firm in their 2023 Diversity issue. Four of BAL’s partners were included in the 2023 Lawyers of Color Power List: Managing Partner Frieda Garcia; Rob Caballero, who heads BAL’s Houston office; Nassim Mahzoon, who heads the Santa Clara, California office; and Edward Rios, who heads the firm’s Boston office.
The Aspire Diversity Award honors law firms that are committed to the equity, diversity and inclusion of their employees, managing partners, executive management committee and office managing partners and that employ at least 4% black attorneys.
BAL, the 2023 Immigration Law Firm of the Year by Best Lawyers-US News & World Report, was also ranked the #1 law firm in the country for diversity in Law360’s 2022 Diversity Snapshot for the third year running. BAL also ranks highest for diversity among equity partners, associates and other attorneys of any firm of its size. 63% of BAL employees are black and the majority of BAL’s attorneys, 54%, are attorneys of color. Attorneys of color also make up 28% of the firm’s partners, 63% of the firm’s equity partners, and 60% of other BAL attorneys. The Aspire Diversity Award recognizes BAL’s leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal industry and across the business sector.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by Lawyers of Color for our exceptional and authentic people-centric culture,” said Nicole Dawson, Chief People Officer. “We have always known that diversity is one of our greatest strengths and reflects our inclusive work environment and how we interact with our customers and our communities.”
The LOC’s Power List recognizes the most influential color attorneys in the United States and is the only comprehensive list of its kind in the industry. The LOC originally compiled the list to highlight the achievements of attorneys of color and to promote DE&I in the legal industry.
“I am honored to receive this significant and historic award,” said Managing Partner Frieda Garcia, who has helped BAL become a thought leader on DE&I issues. “My experience with diversity is lived and inspires me to cultivate diversity, empowerment and belonging in our DE&I initiatives. Diversity, equity and inclusion strengthen our unified, oneBAL culture, and as a result, we are far more effective for our immigration clients across the country and around the world.”
About Advocates of Color
Lawyers of Color is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting diversity in the legal profession, democracy and equality in marginalized communities. LOC champions color advocates and analyzes the intersection of advocacy and social justice. The organization provides its clients with key research, career development and brand marketing opportunities and is recognized by the American Bar Association, the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Black Law Students Association. The LOC maintains a social media and email tally of nearly 50,000 legal professionals, the record of any minority legal organization.
About BAL
BAL, the world’s leading corporate immigration law firm, is solely focused on solving the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in a way that makes immigration more strategic and enables businesses to be more successful. Founded in 1980, BAL has a long history of providing immigration expertise, people-centric customer services and leading-edge technology innovations. In 2018, BAL formed a unique strategic alliance with Deloitte UK to create the world’s first global model for the delivery of immigration services. BAL’s proprietary Cobalt® platform for digital immigration services won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product, the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services, and the Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of 2021 Legalweek. BAL and its officers are ranked highly in all major legal publications including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal.
BAL has been ranked number one in multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including being the National Law Journal’s #1 Law Firm for Women for four consecutive years (2019-2022) and The American Lawyer’s #1 Diversity Scorecard (2020 and 2021) and #1 in Law360’s Diversity Snapshot for three consecutive years (2020-2022). BAL won in seven of Comparably’s Best Company categories, including Diversity, Women, Career Growth and Perks & Benefits. The Dallas Business Journal named BAL one of just a handful of the Best Places to Work for 2022 based solely on employee feedback. US News & World Report – Best Lawyers named BAL the 2023 Immigration Law Firm of the Year.
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SOURCE Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
