Latisha Thompson Quoted in Article on Diversity at Midsize Law Firms

February 22, 2018 – Morrison Cohen Partner Latisha V. Thompson was interviewed extensively for the article “What's Working to Increase Diversity Among Associates, Partners? Midsize Firms Share Their Secrets” that appeared in the New York Law Journal on February 21, 2018.

Latisha discusses Morrison Cohen's diversity efforts, the importance of mentors and the advantages of midsized firms:

“When diverse attorneys come, we make sure they're focusing on high-level cases so their careers can take off,” said Latisha Thompson, a partner in Morrison Cohen's business litigation department.

That means exposing diverse attorneys to the firm's biggest and most influential clients, she said.

Thompson said she was the first lawyer in her family and lacked grounding in important skills such as how to generate business. But she learned from chairman and managing partner David Scherl and other mentors.

“Mentors don't have to look like you,” she explained. “I think a lot of times you have firms say they're going to place the Latina associate with the Latina partner or the black associate with the black partner.” Latisha went on to note that some of her greatest mentors have come from very different backgrounds.

“I think the challenge for midsize firms is getting diverse attorneys in the door,” Thompson said. “It's harder to get diverse attorneys in the door but when they get here, something really special can happen.”