Minita Shah
Minita Shah joined Bingham McCutchen LLP earlier this summer as the firm’s first manager of diversity and inclusion, a position dedicated to fostering diversity and implementing the goals of Bingham’s Diversity Action Plan.
Although based in Boston, Shah manages Bingham’s diversity and inclusion agenda throughout the firm. Believed to be the first large-firm position of its kind in Boston, the manager of diversity and inclusion works with the firm-wide Diversity Committee, and lawyers and staff in each office to develop programming and implement the long-term goals of the Diversity Action Plan.
The plan aims to promote Bingham’s continuing dedication to recruit, retain and advance lawyers and staff who will contribute to the diversity of the firm and the legal profession.
“As part of Bingham’s commitment to being at the forefront of advancing diversity and inclusion, we felt it was important to have a senior professional dedicated full time to our diversity efforts,” said Julia Frost-Davies, co-chair of Bingham’s Diversity Committee. “Bringing Minita on board represents an investment in our people, our culture and our community.”
Bingham has been recognized nationally for its diversity efforts. Accolades include being named for four straight years to FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list, as well as one of Multicultural Law’s Top 25 Law Firms for Diversity and Working Mother’s Best Law Firms for Women. Bingham also received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index in 2007.
Shah, who received a master’s degree in social work from Boston University, began focusing on diversity issues while working in legal recruiting and human resources for law firms in California. She noted that diversity impacts every facet of firm life, from recruiting to attorney development to client service, and Bingham’s existing commitment to those issues attracted her to the firm.
“I was excited that a large law firm was so focused on its diversity initiatives and encouraged firm-wide participation,” Shah said. “That involvement is important, because the depth of these initiatives takes more than one person to make them work.”
