Diversity

Diversity

RMKB’s Commitment To Diversity
  

Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley promotes a diverse, inclusive work environment, understanding that diversity creates a productive workplace, is a social responsibility, and creates value for its clients who appreciate and expect their legal team to reflect the diversity of their own organizations and communities.  Well before many law firms in the Bay Area began instituting formal “diversity” programs, RMKB implemented internal employment practices demonstrating its commitment to diversity within the firm and within the legal profession. 

Today, RMKB offers a wide range of support –both in volunteer time and financial resources – to help increase an awareness of diversity-related concerns and find ways of accomplishing its diversity-related goals. 

 Within The Community

 
  • Through the firm's connection with the Los Angeles County Bar Association, several attorneys from our Los Angeles office are participating in an ongoing High School Outreach Program as volunteer mentors to Garfield High School students.
  • RMKB was the catalyst for the formation of a formal diversity program in San Mateo County and continues to work closely with the San Mateo County Bar Association to foster and encourage diversity related programs.
  • RMKB is proud to join PG&E, Union Bank of California, Wells Fargo, and others as the first and only law firm sponsor of the Bay Area Gardeners Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial support to economically disadvantaged students attending college. 
  • RMKB is working with Sequoia High School in Redwood City in an effort to commit a team of diverse students to compete in the San Mateo County Mock Trial Program, offering to provide attorney coaches and financial assistance.

  • RMKB has been honored to sponsor an annual holiday celebration for the students at St. Elizabeth Seton School in East Palo Alto for almost two decades.  The mission of St. Elizabeth Seton School, a Vincentian Catholic School, is to educate kindergarten through eighth grade students from the multi-cultural and economically diverse populations of East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and the surrounding communities.

 RMKB proudly supports other diversity related causes:  

  • Bay Area Legal Aid
  • Black Women Lawyers of Northern California
  • Charles Houston Bar Association
  • Food Bank Society of Los Angeles
  • Bar Association of San Francisco Diversity Program
  • Queen's Bench

 Our attorneys belong to the following organizations:

  • Asian-American Bar
  • Iranian-American Bar
  • Japanese-American Bar
  • Korean-American Bar
  • Law Society of Hong Kong
  • Women in Licensing
  • Black Women Lawyers Asscociation (BWLNC)

Reaching Out/ Community Involvement

The summer of 2010 Gemma Mondala, Brock Lyle, and Jesshill Love reached out to support the Redwood City local Spark Program. The Spark Program is an organization that addresses the dropout crises by reaching out to at-risk middle school age students. The program provides students with hands-on, individualized apprenticeships in a professional field in which they are interested in pursuing. With the help of our own lawyers Gemma, Brock, and Jesshill two Redwood City students had the privilege to participate in the program to learn and experience a little bit about their dream jobs in the field of law. These students spent two weeks of their summer learning and engaging in different areas of the legal field. They visited the Redwood City Courthouse, San Mateo Law Library, and the Redwood City History Museum and met with judges, sheriffs, and other legal staff. At the end of their apprenticeship, with the help of their mentors, the two students put on a mock trial before an audience at the Spark/ Aim High Discovery Night. Reaching out to the community or mentoring can be an empowering and beneficial opportunity for everyone involved. Community involvement shows dedication and is held in high regard to many business and potential clients.
 
Within RMKB:
 
  • RMKB maintains a formal mentorship program for its associates and an affinity group designed to support and promote the professional growth of its female attorneys.
  • RMKB provides funding for and supports attorney participation in local and national organizations seeking to promote and encourage diversity within the legal profession.
  • RMKB provides flex-time schedules and part time employment for attorneys at both the partner and associate level
 
For additional information about RMKB’s continuing commitment to diversity, please feel free to contact any member of RMKB’s Diversity Committee: 

Richard Wilson
Managing Partner
Redwood City

Enrique Marinez - Co-Chair
Partner
Redwood City
 
Kristina H. Chung-Co-Chair
Partner
Redwood City 
 
Dennis Ward
Partner
San Jose

John Koeppel
Partner
San Francisco

Saundra Wootton
Partner
Los Angeles

Carmen Callahan
Firm Administrator
Redwood City

Darcy Diaz
Client Services Director
Redwood City
 

Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley offers equal opportunity in employment and advancement for all qualified persons without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other factor prohibited by local, state, and federal law.