Diversity and Inclusion
Our Commitment
Maslon is committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace of attorneys and staff with respect to, among other things, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, 
religion, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability, lifestyle and political views. We believe that the diversity of our firm enriches our culture, and advances the community around us. By reflecting a wide variety of perspectives, Maslon is better positioned to serve our clients.
For further details on Maslon's Diversity Initiative, please review the sections below:
Long before it was strategic, the founders of Maslon made it an expected practice to respect and foster diversity, inclusion, and community involvement within the firm.
Today, the character of the firm is still true to the dreams and visions of its founders. The broad range of contributions made by members of the firm to the arts, education, 
charitable organizations, and other vital community partnerships is distinctly reflective of our diverse firm culture. We are proud of our strong commitment to serving the community, as well as to integrity and excellence in the practice of law.
Maslon's goal is not only to reach out to and hire diverse attorneys and staff, but also to provide an inclusive environment where they will stay, progress and succeed. We believe the key to retaining talented individuals is to help them develop to their full potential through increased responsibility and leadership opportunities both within the firm and in the community.
Our attorney recruitment objective is to hire diverse, well-rounded candidates who share our mission, have outstanding academic records, and the potential to become partners. Maslon actively sponsors and/or participates in opportunities such as:
- MSBA 1L Minority Clerkship Program
- Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference (MMRC)
- Cook County Bar Association's Annual Minority Student Job Fair
Maslon also participates in diversity initiatives in our professional community. Maslon has actively participated in the Twin Cities Committee on Minority Lawyers, supported the Minnesota Minority Lawyers Association, participates annually in the Minnesota Minority Job Fair, and is a contributor to Minnesota Legal Diversity (minnesotalegaldiversity.com), a website dedicated to showcasing and promoting diversity in the Minnesota legal community.
Maslon was also one of the first Minnesota law firms to participate in the MSBA Minority Clerkship Program (2006). It is an initiative that the firm values and continues to 
participate in annually as a part of our overall recruiting efforts. This program is the culmination of the joint efforts of the Minnesota State Bar Association and a select group of law firms. It is structured to increase the opportunities for law students of color in the Minnesota legal community and bring minority first-year students interested in practicing law in Minnesota into participating firms' summer programs.
Maslon sponsors, and continues to participate in, organizations and events such as:
- Equal Justice Works Fellowship Sponsor
- Hamline University School of Law: Black Law Students Association Inaugural Gala
- Habitat for Humanity
- Human Rights Campaign
- Meritas-sponsored scholarship/Minority Corporate Counsel Association
- Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
- Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers (MABL)
- Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association (MHBA)
- Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference (MMRC)
- Scholarship to assist minority students in attending the Minnesota Minority Recruiting Conference
- Minnesota Women Lawyers
- Minnesota Legal Diversity (minnesotalegaldiversity.com) - A website designed to showcase a vibrant community of diverse practitioners and law students across the spectrum of practice areas.
- Minnesota Lavender Bar Association Law Conference
- Multicultural Forum (Hosted by the University of St. Thomas and the National Black MBA Association - Twin Cities Chapter)
- MSBA 1L Minority Clerkship Program
- MSBA Diversity Committee
- MSBA Diversity Committee: Midwest Regional Black Law Students Association Conference
- National Association of Women Business Owners
- Twin Cities Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms (TCC)
- United Way
- YMCA - It's Time to Talk: Forums on Race
The Maslon Firm has a long-standing commitment to pro bono work by its attorneys. Our attorneys provide pro bono legal services to a broad range of individuals and organizations without discrimination. Maslon has represented and will continue to represent a broad spectrum of clients, including work through or for the following organizations:
- Catholic Charities
- Center for Individual Rights
- Children's Law Center
- Chrysalis Safety Project
- Common Bond
- Council on Crime and Justice
- Federal Public Defenders Office
- Groves Learning Center
- Harriet Tubman Center
- Innocence Project
- Jewish Community Center of Greater Minneapolis
- Lawyers Committee of Volunteers for Immigrants Project
- Legal Aid
- Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
- Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts
- St. Paul Talmud Torah
- Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services
- Volunteer Lawyers' Network
- University of Minnesota Foundation
- Wills for Heroes
Our attorneys continue to be recognized for their pro bono work. In 2008, Maslon was honored by Children's Law Center of Minnesota (CLC) with the Distinguished Service Award for Children. The Distinguished Service Award for Children is presented to firms who have given extensively of their time and legal skill to advocate on behalf of children within the legal system. (View full announcement)
In addition, Maslon attorney Mark Lee received the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights 2005 Volunteer Award for his work on behalf of immigrants seeking asylum. Another Maslon attorney received the Ramsey County Bar Association's 2005 Pro Bono Award for pro bono service provided to Ramsey County residents while volunteering at Children's Law Center of Minnesota.
Maslon has been a leader in the area of gender equity in the Minnesota legal market. Our firm was one of the first major law firms in Minnesota to elect a woman as chair. Maslon was also the first recipient of the SAGE (Self-Audit for Gender Equity) Best Practices Recognition Award (2005) at the Annual Minnesota State Bar Association Bar Leader Conference. The SAGE Award is granted to legal employers who have made a significant contribution to the achievement of gender equity in the workplace. The nominees were reviewed based on the following factors: equal access, workday issues, governance, evaluation and promotion, retention, and compensation.
In 2010, Maslon was selected as an Honorable Mention recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility in the greater Twin Cities area, placing us in the top 20% of employers nationally in terms of our programs, policies, and culture for creating an effective and flexible workplace.
As part of the firm's long-standing commitment to excellence, Maslon began a new diversity/inclusion initiative in 2010 which included engaging an outside consultant to conduct a firm-wide survey/assessment and eight internal focus groups, with full analysis of the results and development of a plan for moving forward. The overall goals of the initiative are to improve interpersonal communications, build skills to respectfully address conflict, provide training on micro inequities, and update the policy statement for the firm as needed.
