I, Matthew Burnstein, personally commit to the following:

Personal Commitments

• I will work with the Board of Directors to intentionally select Practice Group and Committee leaders who are focused on the firm’s DEI efforts as it relates to creating an inclusive environment for diverse attorneys and staff, client relationships, and hiring.
• I will use my voice as a leader in my organization and in the profession to advocate for DE&I in the legal profession and in my community.
• I will use my position among my firm’s leadership to advocate for changes to improve the equity of operational processes within the firm.
• I will meet at least six times annually with the Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee and the Chair of the Women’s Leadership Council to advance those organizations’ missions.
• I will meet at least twice annually with groups of diverse lawyers in the firm and provide “inside baseball” and full candor in answering all questions.

Organizational Commitments

• Honor and acknowledge holidays, remembrances and celebrations of all diverse groups.
• Prioritize recruiting and retaining diverse entry-level and lateral talent.
• Support and develop our diverse attorneys through training, mentorship and professional development.
• Achieve Mansfield Certification in an effort to increase diverse leadership and create a more intentional, diversity - focused thought process in decision-making.
• Educate attorneys and staff on DEI issues to help foster a more inclusive, understanding and empathetic atmosphere (including, but not limited to, trainings on unconscious bias, cultural awareness and blind spots).
• Increase visibility of Waller’s DEI efforts, opportunities and perspectives throughout the firm with quarterly firm wide reports.
• Create and implement a voluntary self-identification process for both existing and potential employees to track diversity progress.