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Diversity & Inclusion Champion: Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Ohio
At MWH, we are dedicated to elevating the legal profession by ensuring that diverse lawyers have a seat at the table in government, private practice, and corporate legal departments. In this spotlight series, MWH celebrates key individuals and organizations who are advancing that mission.
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty has represented the Ohio 3rd Congressional District since 2013. In the spirit of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Beatty has proven to be a fighter for people of color. She serves as Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and is the Chair of the Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion.
Congresswoman Beatty is also a committed and vocal supporter of efforts that impact minorities, including education legislation, financial literacy, infant mortality rates, concussion awareness, access to free credit scores, affordable housing, reliable public transportation, and the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), which seeks to increase the participation of women and minorities in all facets of the financial marketplace.
Congresswoman Beatty made headlines in 2019 for grilling Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, on the company’s civil rights audit and its contracting practices with minority or woman-owned firms.
As Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, she has helped to shine a light on the underrepresentation of people of color within the financial services industry. Earlier this year, Congresswoman Beatty, and Congresswoman Waters, Chairwoman of the Committee on Financial Services, released a report entitled, “Diversity and Inclusion: Holding America’s Large Banks Accountable.” The Report highlighted a lack of diversity among the nation’s largest banks, and recommended that Congress consider legislative action that would require banks to share diversity and inclusion data with their regulators and the public; track and make efforts to increase spending with diverse firms; and, publicly disclose the diversity of their boards.
With respect to minority lawyers, including those who own and operate their own law firms, Congresswoman Beatty has consistently asked high-ranking officers at major corporations appearing before her Subcommittee, about the demographics of their companies’ outside counsel ranks. This, in turn, has helped to increase opportunities for minorities in the legal profession.
Most importantly, Congresswoman Beatty serves as a role model for those who have been afforded the privilege to serve on boards of directors and in senior leadership roles within Corporate America. She has emphasized how critical it is that we all work to make a difference and not merely be content to be in the room!
If you are interested in learning more about Congresswoman Beatty, please visit https://beatty.house.gov/. If you would like to nominate a diversity champion to be featured on the MWH Blog, please contact communications@mwhlawgroup.com.
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OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
At MWH Law Group LLC, we believe a law firm should represent the society it serves. Our strength lies in our differences, not in our similarities. MWH is comprised of people from diverse backgrounds whose individual experiences form the basis of our unique corporate culture. Our diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and ideas allow us to help our clients achieve the best solutions for the legal challenges they face. We are seeking to transform the legal profession by demonstrating that it is possible to deliver the highest quality legal services in a firm environment that is genuinely diverse and inclusive at all levels.