In this week’s edition of P.S., Baker Botts receives an award from a longstanding pro bono client, Gray Reed announces a first-of-its-kind firmwide volunteer day, Texas A&M’s board of regents elects a notable chairman and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation announces a new partnership with a bank that will help provide funding for civil legal services to Texans in need. Natalie Posgate has the details.
P.S. — HBA’s Annual Dinner, Central TX Nonprofit’s Grant, Lawbook Foundation Donation Shoutouts
In this edition of P.S., Natalie Posgate highlights several lawyers in the Houston legal community receiving awards by the Houston Bar Association, a grant awarded to a Central Texas nonprofit supporting low-income domestic violence survivors and a special thanks to a recent string of contributors to the Texas Lawbook Foundation.
Baker Hughes’ Amy Blumrosen Fights For ‘Equity, Equality and Inclusion for All’
Amy Blumrosen is a jack of all trades, both in her litigation work in Baker Hughes’ legal department and in her work to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal industry. She chairs the legal and compliance department’s DEI council at the company and outside of work has advocated for the LGBTQ community through her work with Lambda Legal, the Texas Minority Council Forum and more. She also fights inequities through volunteer work at the Houston Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and more. All her efforts have landed her recognition by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook as a finalist for the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion award.
“When she can’t get in through the door, she’s coming in through the window,” said Travis Torrence, a previous ACC winner and friend of Blumrosen. “If the window is closed, she’s going to break through the ceiling. Amy gets things done and achieves meaningful change.”
Blumrosen’s steadfast commitment to fight inequities comes from deep personal experience. This is her story.
Q&A: Amy Blumrosen, GLC of Baker Hughes
The Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston chapter and The Texas Lawbook recently named Baker Hughes global litigation counsel Amy Blumrosen a finalist for the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion award.
In this Q&A, Blumrosen discusses with The Lawbook’s pro bono, public service and diversity writer Natalie Posgate how she approaches female attorney mentorship, why community and pro bono work is important in addition to DEI work and her views on where DEI is headed in the Texas corporate world.
When it Comes to Diversity & Inclusion, HPE ‘Just Gets It’
Over the last several years, general counsel Rishi Varma and associate general counsel Jude Andre have implemented a number of diversity initiatives at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, whose corporate legal department is known for its innovation, welcoming culture and commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession. The result has been a more engaged workforce around DEI issues and recognition by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook. They have named HPE — with Varma and Andre at the helm — as finalists for the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion award.
Q&A: Rishi Varma, GC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
In this Q&A, Varma discusses with pro bono, public service & diversity writer Natalie Posgate that role diversity plays when hiring outside counsel, 2022 diversity and inclusion successes at HPE and tips for creating a broader pool of diverse candidates when hiring.
Q&A: Jude Andre of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
In this Q&A, Andre discusses with pro bono, public service & diversity writer Natalie Posgate how law firms can broaden the diversity pipeline, the importance of legal departments encouraging employees to come as they are to work, and tips for law firms on retaining minority associates.
Baker Botts’ Aaron Streett Details Recent Pro Bono Supreme Court Oral Argument
In Groff v. DeJoy, Streett represents Gerald Groff, a devout Christian and former Pennsylvania-based Postal Service mail carrier who was disciplined by USPS for skipping Sunday shifts to observe the Sabbath instead of delivering Amazon packages.
P.S. — A Fundraising Update, A New HVL Exec Director, A Donation Shoutout
This week’s P.S. column features fundraising updates on two recent events — one that took place in Austin this week and one that recently happened over the interweb — as well as information on Houston Volunteer Lawyers’ new executive director and a special thank-you to a group of Texas Lawbook Foundation donors.
P.S. — TX Appleseed Gets $, Legal Aid Kiosk Launches, ‘The Pro Bono Squad’ Explained
This week’s edition of P.S. features a Houston law firm’s six-figure award to a nonprofit dedicated to fair debt collection and responsible lending practices, May dates (and sponsor information) for the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program’s free legal clinics, the upcoming launch of one of the state’s first virtual court kiosks and an update on a Houston Bar Foundation-affiliated pro bono award previously reported on that involves a group of six first-year associates.