Financial Services Leaders Promote Minority Outside Council Network

The National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF, http://www.namwolf.org) commends the legal departments of Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Prudential Financial and TIAA-CREF (Corporate Hosts) for hosting the 2006 Minority Outside Counsel Networking Conference that was held on Thursday, October 26, 2006 in New York City.

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 8, 2006

The National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF, http://www.namwolf.org) commends the legal departments of Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Prudential Financial and TIAA-CREF (Corporate Hosts) for hosting the 2006 Minority Outside Counsel Networking Conference that was held on Thursday, October 26, 2006 in New York City.

More than 100 minority attorneys representing about 40 majority- and minority-owned law firms attended the all-day event. Minority attorneys had the opportunity to network with the Corporate Hosts and attorneys at majority-owned firms while also participating in dialogue with corporate in-house counsel to discuss their legal needs.

"What an effective way to increase diversity in the legal profession," noted Yolanda Coly, Associate Director of NAMWOLF. "I applaud Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Prudential Financial and TIAA-CREF for their efforts. It is my hope that minority outside counsel and corporate legal department officers took advantage of this opportunity to build long-term working relationships."

Program highlights included a General Counsel Roundtable discussion on current issues affecting the financial services industry, as well as how these developments have shaped the legal agenda at the four host companies, including their use of outside counsel. There were accompanying discussions pertaining to developing successful relationships with corporate clients and best practices of corporations with successful diversity programs. Additionally, there was a keynote address by Theodore M. Shaw, Director-Counsel and President of NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (http://www.namwolf.org) was founded in June, 2001. It is a national trade association comprised of a select group of minority- and women-owned law firms who exhibit excellence in the legal profession. The primary aim of the organization is to advocate for the increased utilization of minority- and women-owned law firms by major corporations and public entities throughout the United States.

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