The International Association of Defense Counsel has presented its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Award for 2023 to Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, LLP.
Representatives of HM&B, including HM&B Managing Partner and IADC member Jerry D. Hamilton, accepted the award this month at the 2024 Midyear Meeting of the IADC, which is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.
Created by the IADC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee, the DEIB Award recognizes persons and organizations that have championed and taken purposeful, tangible actions yielding positive outcomes in achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the legal profession.
“The IADC is very proud to present its DEIB Award to Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel for its trailblazing commitment and action toward diversity and inclusion at the firm and in the broader legal community,” said IADC President Michele Y. Smith, who also is a shareholder at MehaffyWeber, P.C. in Houston, Texas. “By recognizing HM&B’s achievements in this area, the IADC seeks to continue to raise awareness and inspire others to achieve positive diverse, equitable, and inclusive belonging in the legal profession.”
Hamilton, who sits on the board of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), said, “We are very grateful to IADC for recognizing Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel as a leader in taking meaningful action toward guaranteeing diversity, equity and inclusion in our industry. We share these goals with IADC and look forward to encouraging other firms and individuals to build workplaces with diverse professionals and staff and foster environments that value the contributions of everyone.”
The largest black-owned law firm in the United States, HM&B has a partnership made up of more than 50% minorities, and more than 50% women. The firm has demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting and retaining a diverse workforce, which includes its attorney staff comprising more than 60% minorities.
Consistently ranked among the top ten most diverse law firms in its home state of Florida, and designated by the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council as a Certified Minority Business Enterprise, HM&B also is heavily invested in the broader, diverse legal communities in cities and regions where it maintains offices and staff. The firm has supported various community efforts including mentorship and education events for students interested in the legal profession.
HM&B focuses in the areas of insurance defense and coverage, general liability defense, transportation and trucking, property and casualty, employment, professional liability, insurance fraud, admiralty and maritime, products liability, commercial litigation and commercial transactions. The firm has offices throughout Florida, as well as in New York City; Norfolk, Virginia.; Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; Kingston, Jamaica; the Bahamas; and St. Thomas and St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
About the International Association of Defense Counsel
The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC has members who hail from six continents, 47 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.
