Greensfelder awarded Legal Employer Diversity Award from Washington University Black Law Student Association
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. is twice honored for its commitment to diversity in the legal profession by the Washington University Black Law Student Association (BLSA). At the BLSA annual dinner on Feb. 18, 2012, Greensfelder was presented with the Legal Employer Diversity Award while one of its attorneys, David Simmons, earned the Professional Mentorship Award. The annual dinner was held at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis.
Greensfelder was selected as the recipient of this year's Legal Employer Diversity Award because of a number of diversity initiatives it has implemented to create and foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace and legal community including:
- Creating the position of Director of Professional Development & Inclusion in 2007, a first for the St. Louis legal profession.
- Broadening diversity throughout the St. Louis legal profession by partnering with the Diversity Awareness Partnership to orchestrate the first St. Louis Legal Diversity Summit in 2011.
- Co-coordinator and sponsor of the annual Diversity Clerkship Program and the St. Louis Diversity Job Fair.
- Supporting and actively participating in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, which unites corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners to advance the goal of a diverse legal profession. Greensfelder community outreach also benefits a number of local legal associations dedicated to an inclusive workplace.
- Implementing training and career development initiatives that foster an inclusive workforce and minority attorney professional development.
- Reaching out to high schools with diverse student populations to expose students to legal career opportunities.
David Simmons was honored with the "Professional Mentorship Award" for his professional accomplishments following graduation from law school and his dedicated mentorship to Washington University School of Law student Kadeidra Honey. Simmons is the third attorney from Greensfelder to receive BLSA's Professional Mentorship Award. Edward Goldenhersh was honored with the award in 2009, and Danielle Carr received the award in 2010.
Simmons is a member of Greensfelder's Litigation Practice Group, where he represents clients in general civil and complex litigation with an emphasis on antitrust, securities, class actions and premises liability matters. He received his law degree from the Washington University School of Law and has a degree in philosophy from the University of Missouri.