New York City Law Department Joins NAMWOLF as a Public Entity Partner

New York, NY (PRWeb) December 20, 2006 -- The National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) is pleased to welcome the New York City Law Department as a new member to its Corporate and Public Entities Partnering Program (CPEPP).

"It is with distinct pleasure that I welcome the New York City Law Department as a partner of NAMWOLF," said Yolanda Coly, Associate Director of NAMWOLF. "The department's concerted effort to increase the diversification of its outsourced legal work is applauded. This new partnership will hopefully serve as an example to be followed by many of our country's municipal law departments."

Under the Corporate and Public Entities Partnering Program, interested corporations agree to set a goal of eventually expending a minimum of 5% of their outside counsel budget with minority- and women-owned law firms. NAMWOLF strives to recruit and admit only those minority- and women-owned law firms that have a track record of representing major corporations and public entities.

"The New York City Law Department is proud to join with NAMWOLF in its efforts to provide greater opportunities for minority- and women-owned law firms," said New York City Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo. "We are committed to increasing the diversity of our contractors, including law firms, expert witnesses, and other professionals. We encourage NAMWOLF members and other minority- and women-owned firms to register with our City's Department of Small Business Services so that the Law Department and other City agencies seeking to meet the goals of our City's affirmative action program will find them in the City's MWBE Directory. Interested firms may obtain an application for certification on line at www.nyc.gov/getcertified, or by calling the New York City Department of Small Business Services at 212-513-631l," he added.

The New York City Law Department is responsible for all of the legal affairs of the City. It represents the City, the Mayor, other elected officials, and the City's many agencies in all affirmative and defensive civil litigation as well as juvenile delinquency prosecutions brought in Family Court and Administrative Code enforcement proceedings brought in Criminal Court. The Law Department is comprised of 17 legal divisions and 3 support divisions. It is staffed with 650 lawyers and 850 support professionals in 10 offices located in all five boroughs, as well as in Kingston, N.Y.

The New York City Law Department has long been committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse community of attorneys and support professionals. The Law Department's Diversity Committee works to enhance the recruitment and retention of attorneys of all backgrounds. Today, diversity is reflected throughout the ranks of the Law Department. Five of its 17 division chiefs are Black, Hispanic, or openly gay or lesbian. More than half of its attorneys serve in divisions led by women.

The New York City Law Department drafted legislation adopted by the City Council and signed by Mayor Bloomberg in 2005 that commits the City to goals for employing minority- and women-owned business enterprises as contractors and subcontractors.

Press with questions about the Law Department -- or its decision to join NAMWOLF, may contact Kate O'Brien Ahlers of the Law Department's Media Office at 212-788-0400 or via e-mail.

The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (www.namwolf.org) was founded in June, 2001. It is a national trade association comprised of a select group of minority- and women-owned law firms who exhibit excellence in the legal profession. The primary aim of the organization is to advocate for the increased utilization of minority- and women-owned law firms by major corporations and public entities throughout the United States.

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