Lawyers of Color Honors DE&I Pacesetter BAL with Aspire Diversity Award

DALLAS, Feb. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate immigration powerhouse BAL was distinguished this month by Lawyers of Color (LOC), for its industry-leading commitment to organizational diversity, equity and inclusion. The Washington D.C.-based nonprofit for the advancement of legal professionals of color awarded BAL with the Aspire Diversity Award, and will feature the firm in its Diversity Issue 2023 publication. Four of BAL's Partners are named to the 2023 Lawyers of Color Power List: Managing Partner Frieda Garcia; Rob Caballero, who manages BAL's Houston office; Nassim Mahzoon, who oversees the Santa Clara, Calif. office; and Edward Rios, who leads the firm's Boston office.

The Aspire Diversity Award honors law firms that are dedicated to equity, diversity and inclusion in their staff, managing partners, executive management committee and office managing partners, and that employ 4% or more Black attorneys.

BAL, the 2023 Immigration Law Firm of the Year by Best Lawyers-U.S. News & World Report, also ranked as the #1 law firm in the country for diversity on Law360's 2022 Diversity Snapshot for the third year in a row. BAL also ranks the highest in diversity among equity partners, associates and other attorneys compared to firms of its size. Sixty three percent of BAL employees are people of color and the majority of BAL's attorneys, 54%, are attorneys of color. Attorneys of color also make up 28% of the firm's partners, 63% of the firm's equity partners, and 60% of other BAL attorneys. The Aspire Diversity Award underscores BAL's leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal industry, and the business sector as a whole.

"We are thrilled to be acknowledged by Lawyers of Color for our exceptional and authentic people-centered culture," said Nicole Dawson, Chief People Officer. "We have always known that diversity is one of our biggest strengths and reflects our inclusive work environment and how we interact with our clients and our communities."

LOC's Power List distinguishes the most influential attorneys of color in the U.S., and is the only comprehensive listing of its kind in the industry. LOC initially compiled the list to highlight the achievements of lawyers of color and to promote DE&I in the legal industry.

"I'm honored to receive this significant and historic award," said Managing Partner Frieda Garcia, who has helped BAL become a thought leader on DE&I issues. "My experience of diversity is lived and inspires me to cultivate diversity, empowerment and belonging in our DE&I initiatives. Diversity, equity and inclusion power our unified, oneBAL people culture, and because of it, we are that much more effective for our immigration clients across the nation and around the world."

About Lawyers of Color

Lawyers of Color is a 501(c)(3) missioned to advancing diversity in the legal profession and democracy and equality in marginalized communities. LOC champions attorneys of color and analyzes the intersection of the legal profession and social justice. The organization supplies critical research, career development, and brand marketing opportunities to its clients, and is recognized by the American Bar Association, National Association of Black Journalists, and National Black Law Students Association. LOC maintains a social media and email census of nearly 50,000 legal professionals, the record largest of any minority legal organization.

About BAL

BAL, the world's leading corporate immigration law firm, is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable businesses to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, people-centered client services and leading technology innovation. In 2018, BAL entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic alliance with Deloitte U.K. to create the world's first global immigration service delivery model. BAL's proprietary Cobalt^® digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product, the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services and Legalweek's Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of 2021. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500 and Who's Who Legal.

BAL has ranked #1 on multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including the #1 Law Firm for Women by the National Law Journal four years in a row (2019-2022), #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), and #1 on Law360's Diversity Snapshot for three years running (2020-2022). BAL won in seven of Comparably's Best Company categories, including Diversity, Women, Career Growth, and Perks & Benefits. The Dallas Business Journal named BAL one of only a handful of the 2022 Best Places to Work based exclusively on employee feedback. US News & World Report–Best Lawyers named BAL the 2023 Immigration Law Firm of the Year.

SOURCE Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP