On November 8th in its Baltimore City office, Offit Kurman launched the first event in its Diversity Speaker Series. Offit Kurman employees were joined by local leaders and invited students from the University Of Baltimore School Of Law and the University Of Maryland School Of Law, along with local business and nonprofit executives, attorneys and media representatives. Offit Kurman was honored to have its inaugural discussion led by President Kurt Schmoke of the University of Baltimore.
President Schmoke served as the Mayor of Baltimore City for twelve years and was the first African-American elected to the office. Throughout his career, he established himself as a leader in public service and higher education, advocating for progressive advancements in education, fair housing, economic development, and civil rights. During his tenure as Mayor, he received a national Literacy Award from President George H.W. Bush, and President Bill Clinton designated Baltimore an Empowerment Zone in recognition of the city’s housing and economic development initiatives.
President Schmoke led an open discussion regarding how to address critical diversity objectives both within urban centers such as Baltimore and the workplace in general. During his presentation, President Schmoke described the negative impact that segregation has on a city like Baltimore, while offering concrete suggestions on how to limit, if not eliminate, such impact. He noted that he has learned throughout the years that, although people may come from diverse backgrounds, everyone shares similar aspirations and goals in life. President Schmoke also provided helpful suggestions on how the attendees could advance the goals of diversity in their workplaces.
ABOUT THE DIVERSITY SPEAKER SERIES
The Diversity Speaker Series is an important initiative of Offit Kurman’s Diversity Committee. Established in 2015, the Diversity Committee is dedicated to demographically reflecting the communities in which the firm practices, promoting inclusion at the firm, and providing growth opportunities for attorneys of all races, ethnic origins, religions, and sexual and gender identities.
ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN
Offit Kurman is one of the fastest-growing, full-service law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region. With over 120 attorneys offering a comprehensive range of services in virtually every legal category, the firm is well positioned to meet the needs of dynamic businesses and the people who own and operate them. Our eight offices serve individual and corporate clients in the Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Northern Virginia markets, as well as the Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City metropolitan areas. At Offit Kurman, we are our clients’ most trusted legal advisors, professionals who help maximize and protect business value and personal wealth. In every interaction, we consistently maintain our clients’ confidence by remaining focused on furthering their objectives and achieving their goals in an efficient manner. Trust, knowledge, confidence—in a partner, that’s perfect.
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