Law Firm Trumps Industry Giants Taking Top Slot as California’s Most Diverse Firm

CERRITOS, Calif. — Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR), California’s 41st largest law firm, swept past the biggest firms in the state to place number one in diversity for having the highest percentage of equity partners who are minorities, according to a recent scorecard released by California Lawyer magazine. Of the firm’s equity partners, 33.3 percent are minorities.

The ‘California 50’ is an annual survey of lawyers at the state’s largest firms, conducted by California Lawyer magazine which also examines trends in equity, diversity, part-time attorneys and hiring.

“Of the many awards and recognitions AALRR has received, this is one of the most significant because it is directly linked to our goals and culture,” says AALRR Managing Partner James C. Romo. “Our success dates back to the inception of the firm, when minority recruitment was treated as a key ingredient to the original recipe of what we wanted to become. It was always a top priority and never considered an add-on or a trend,” Romo noted.

The firm is well regarded for its commitment to diversity in recruitment and representation, so much so that California Lawyer has ranked it a diversity leader for a number of years in a row.

“We know that having a diverse team leads to greater innovation and yields invaluable perspectives; two critical characteristics for a California-based firm,” added Romo.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, California leads the nation with the largest minority population at 22.3 million. Many of AALRR’s attorneys and staff are bilingual, which is a distinct advantage for many clients.

AALRR helps clients to achieve a workplace that celebrates diversity with management training designed to promote a discrimination-free environment as well as numerous other on-site training programs including sexual harassment prevention and awareness training and training to prevent discrimination against protected classes.

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About Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

AALRR is a full-service California law firm with a focus on labor and employment, education, corporate, real estate, and construction and litigation. We are counsel to more than 400 school districts and public and private universities. Our diverse teams bring a seasoned perspective to California’s complex legal landscape for both private and public entities. AALRR maintains offices in Sacramento, Pleasanton, Fresno, Cerritos, Irvine, Riverside and San Diego. For further information, visit our website at www.aalrr.com or sign up for key updates at our blogs, www.aalrr.com/news_and_events/blogs.