Employer of Choice Award

MCCA’s vision is to make the next generation of legal leaders as diverse as the world we live in. One way we strive to accomplish this goal is to recognize and honor outstanding law departments that are leading the charge in change and helping diverse attorneys break through the concrete ceiling. The Employer of Choice Award (the “EOC”) is designed to spotlight industry-leading Fortune 500 corporate legal departments that have succeeded in creating, implementing, and maintaining a legal department that is focused on diversity, inclusion, and equity.

MCCA publicly recognizes those organizations that are successful at recruiting, retaining, and developing, today’s best and brightest legal talent as the Employer of Choice.

MCCA determines the finalists and winners for the EOC Award based on its extensive review of the MCCA Corporate Demographic Survey submissions.

THE SELECTION CRITERIA INCLUDE:

  • alignment of diversity activities and principles with long-term, corporate-wide strategic initiatives;
  • commitment from senior leadership that translates into measurable objectives at the business unit level;
  • use of metrics and/or scorecards for accountability (impact, effectiveness and sustainability);
  • compensation of senior management in the legal department tied to the results of diversity efforts;
  • substantive training programs;
    demonstrated institutional implementation or design of policies and practices that support people in doing their best work and developing to their fullest potential;
  • leadership through creating an environment that eliminates barriers to communication and encourages everyone’s contribution;
  • and formal programs or policies that value, encourage, and enable individual attorney growth and improvement (e.g. mentoring, skills development seminars, etc.).

To see how nominations were evaluated, download the Scorecard template here:

2023 EOC Award Winners

MCCA honored two Employer of Choice winners from the following categories: Category A (1 – 250) and Category B (more than 250 lawyers). Both winners exemplify inclusive leadership that drives real change in management and employees.

Genentech

Category A Winner

The Employer of Choice winners were honored at MCCA’s Diversity Gala on October 11, 2023.

Genentech

Category B Winner

The Employer of Choice winners were honored at MCCA’s Diversity Gala on October 11, 2023.

2022 EOC Award National Winner

National Winner & West Regional Winner

Award Accepted by: Hossein Nowbar,
General Counsel & Legal Affairs

ABOUT MICROSOFT

Microsoft continually engages with diverse organizational partners – beyond just financial and event specific support, while its leadership shows up on boards, advisory boards, council and research working groups focused on D&I. As a leader in their industry, Microsoft has dedicated efforts to reaching all audiences to improve D&I outcomes, including diverse law students and corporate general counsels. 

2022 EOC Award Regional Winners

Genentech

Mid-Atlantic Regional Winner

The Employer of Choice regional winners were honored at MCCA’s 25th Anniversary Diversity Gala on October 19, 2022.

Genentech

Midwest Regional Winner

The Employer of Choice regional winners were honored at MCCA’s 25th Anniversary Diversity Gala on October 19, 2022.

2021 EOC Award National Winner

Award Accepted by: Laura Schumacher,
Vice Chair, External Affairs & Chief Legal Officer

ABOUT ABBVIE

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.

2020/2019 EOC Award National Winners

2020 Award Accepted by: Sean Johnston,
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

2019 Award Accepted by: Kelly Mahon Tullier,
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

2019 EOC Award Regional & International Winners

View the regional and inaugural international winners’ videos presented at the 2019 Diversity Gala awards ceremony.

2018 EOC Award National Winner

Award Accepted by: Mark S. Howard,
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer

2018 EOC Award Regional WinnerS

View the regional winners’ videos presented at the 2018 Diversity Gala awards ceremony.

2017 EOC Award Winner

Award Accepted by: Craig Silliman,
Executive Vice President of Public Policy & General Counsel

2017 EOC Award Regional Winners

ADDITIONAL Past EOC Honorees

The Employer of Choice Awards are presented at the MCCA Diversity Gala. Click below to view the complete list of our past EOC honorees.

ALL Past EOC Honorees

2020


Genentech, a member of the Roche Group
Sean Johnston
(National Winner)

2019


Visa Inc.
Kelly Mahon Tullier
(National Winner)
Nokia
Nassib Abou-Khalil
(International Winner)
Eaton
Heath Monesmith
(Midwest Region Winner)
Mastercard
Timothy Murphy
(Northeast Region Winner)

2018


Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Mark Howard
(National Winner)
Freddie Mac
William McDavid
(Mid-Atlantic Region Winner)
Gap Inc.
Julie Gruber
(Western Region Winner)
Honeywell International Inc.
Anne T. Madden
(Northeast Region Winner)

2017


Verizon Communications
Craig Silliman
(Winner)
American Express Company
Laureen E. Seeger
(Finalist)
Discover Financial Services
Kelly McNamara Corley
(Finalist)
Duke Energy Corporation
Julie S. Janson
(Finalist)

2016


Exelon Corporation
Darryl Bradford
(Mid-Atlantic)
Kellogg Company
Gary H. Pilnick
(Midwest)
Bank of America
David G. Leitch
(Northeast)
The Home Depot
Teresa Wynn Roseborough
(South)
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
John Schultz
(West)

2015


Fannie Mae
Brian P. Brooks
(Mid-Atlantic)
BMO Financial Group
Simon Fish
(Midwest)
New York Life Insurance Company
Sheila K Davidson
(Northeast)
Darden Restaurants
Tony Morrow
(South)
Southern California Edison Company
Russell C. Swartz
(West)

2014


GlaxoSmithKline
Dan Troy
(Mid-Atlantic)
Cummins Inc.
Sharon R. Barner
(Midwest)
Prudential Financial
Susan L. Blount
(Northeast)
BP America Inc.
Rupert Bondy
(South)
Xcel Energy
Scott Wilensky
(West)

2013


Comcast Cable Communications
Douglas Gaston
(Mid-Atlantic)
Target
Timothy Baer
(Midwest)
Aetna, Inc.
William J. Casazza
(Northeast)
Entergy Corporation
Marcus V. Brown
(South)
Toyota Motor Sales
Christopher P. Reynolds
(West)

2012


H.J. Heinz Company
Theodore N. Bobby
(Mid-Atlantic)
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Patricia R. Hatler
(Midwest)
Morgan Stanley
Eric F. Grossman
(Northeast)
DHL
Joshua B. Frank
(South)
Chevron Corporation
R. Hewitt Pate
(West)

2011


Altria Client Services
Denise F. Keane
(Mid-Atlantic)
3M Company
Marschall I. Smith
(Midwest)
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
Mark Roellig
(Northeast)
United Parcel Service
Teri McClure
(South)
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Hyun Park
(West)

2010


Pepco Holdings Inc.
Kirk J. Emge
(Mid-Atlantic)
GlaxoSmithKline
Daniel Troy
(Mid-Atlantic)
Capital One
Steve Gannon
(Mid-Atlantic)
MillerCoors
Karen Ripley
(Midwest)
Kraft Foods
Marc Firestone
(Midwest)
Wells Fargo
James Strother
(Midwest)
Boehringer Ingelheim
Marla Persky
(Northeast)
Staples, Inc.
Kristin Campbell
(Northeast)
MetLife
Nick Latrenta
(Northeast)
Shell Oil Company
William C. Lowrey
(South)
AT&T
Wayne Watts
(South)
CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Dean Hasseman
(South)
Southern California Edison Company
Steve Pickett
(West)
Clorox
Laura Stein
(West)
Synopsys, Inc.
Brian Cabrera
(West)

2009


Duke Energy
Marc E. Manly
(Mid-Atlantic)
XO Communications, L.L.C
Simone Wu
(Mid-Atlantic)
Exelon Corporation
William Von Hoene
(Midwest)
KeyCorp
Paul Harris
(Midwest)
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Sandra Leung
(Northeast)
Xerox Corporation
Don Liu
(Northeast)
The Coca Cola Company
Geoffrey J. Kelly
(South)
American Airlines
Gary F. Kennedy
(South)
Google Inc.
Kent Walker
(West)
Qwest Communications International Inc.
Rich Baer
(West)

2008


Freddie Mac
Robert E. Bostrom
(Mid-Atlantic)
Bank of America Corporation
Timothy J. Mayopoulos
(Mid-Atlantic)
Cargill, Incorporated
Steve Euller
(Midwest)
Eaton Corporation
Mark D. McGuire
(Midwest)
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Susan Blount
(Northeast)
TIAA-CREF
George Madison
(Northeast)
Waste Management
Rick Wittenbraker
(South)
Genentech, Inc.
Sean Johnston
(South)
Sony Electronics Inc.
Michael T. Williams
(West)
Qwest Communications International Inc.
Rich Baer
(West)

2007


There were no Employer of Choice award winners in 2007, due to the celebration of MCCA’s 10 year anniversary.

2006


AOL LLC
Randall J. Boe
(Mid-Atlantic)
Discovery Communications Inc.
Doug Coblens
(Mid-Atlantic)
Comcast Cable
Doug Gaston
(Mid-Atlantic)
General Mills, Inc.
Siri S. Marshall
(Midwest)
Eaton Corporation
Douglas G. Scrivner
(Midwest)
BP America Inc.
Stephen R. Winters
(Midwest)
General Electric Company
Brackett B. Denniston III
(Northeast)
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Tracey L. Matura
(Northeast)
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Gregory K. Palm and Esta Eiger Stecher
(Northeast)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Thomas A. Mars
(South)
Mary Kay Inc.
Nathan Moor
(South)
Sempra Energy
Javade Chaudhri
(West)
Taco Bell Corp.
Steven L. Emmons
(West)
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.
Steven R. Zatkin
(West)

2005


Rolls-Royce North America Inc.
Thomas P. Dale
(Mid-Atlantic)
Rohm and Haas Company
Robert Lonergan
(Mid-Atlantic)
United States Postal Service
Mary Anne Gibbons
(Mid-Atlantic)
Aon Corporation
D. Cameron Findlay
(Midwest)
Tribune Company
Crane H. Kenney
(Midwest)
Kellogg Company
Gary H. Pilnick
(Midwest)
New York Life Insurance Company
Sheila K. Davidson
(Northeast)
The E.W. Scripps Company
Robert J. Gerrard, Jr.
(Northeast)
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Kenneth S. Siegel
(Northeast)
Cingular Wireless
Joaquin Carnonell
(South)
Cox Communications
James Hatcher
(South)
Blockbuster Inc.
Edward Stead
(South)
Palm, Inc.
Mary E. Doyle
(West)
Levi Strauss & Co.
Albert F. Moreno
(West)
Microsoft Corporation
Bradford L. Smith
(West)

2004


Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.
CG Appleby
(Mid-Atlantic)
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Glenn M. Engelmann
(Mid-Atlantic)
CIGNA Corporation
Judith Soltz
(Mid-Atlantic)
The Boeing Company
Doug G. Bain
(Midwest)
S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
David Hecker
(Midwest)
Motorola, Inc.
A. Peter Lawson
(Midwest)
Pfizer Inc.
Jeffrey B. Kindler
(Northern)
Verizon Wireless
Steve Zipperstein
(Northern)
Dell Inc.
Thomas B. Green
(South)
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Ronald D. McCray
(South)
Office Depot Inc.
David C. Fannin
(South)
Starbucks Corporation
Paula E. Boggs
(West)
Nike, Inc.
James C. Carter
(West)
Sun Microsystems Inc.
Michael A. Dillon
(West)

2003


US Airways, Inc.
Elizabeth K. Lanier
(Mid-Atlantic)
Sodexho, Inc.
Robert A. Stern
(Mid-Atlantic)
Target Corporation
James T. Hale
(Midwest)
Pepsi Beverages and Foods
Thomas J. Ryan
(Midwest)
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Paul S. Williams
(Midwest)
FleetBoston Financial Corporation
Gary A. Spiess
(Northeast)
Reuters America Inc.
Nancy C. Gardner
(Northeast)
Duke Energy Corporation
Richard W. Blackburn
(South)
Texas Instruments Incorporated
Joseph F. Hubach
(South)
PNM Resources
Patrick T. Ortiz
(South)
Visa International
Guy Rounsaville, Jr.
(West)
Washington Mutual, Inc.
Fay Chapman
(West)
Gap Inc.
Lauri Shanahan
(West)

2002


Wachovia Corporation
Mark Treanor
(Mid-Atlantic)
Sunoco, Inc.
Michael Kuritzkes
(Mid-Atlantic)
Fannie Mae
Ann Kappler
(Mid-Atlantic)
Federated Department Stores
Dennis Broderick
(Midwest)
Sara Lee Corporation
Roderick Palmore
(Midwest)
Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
Stewart S. Hudnut
(Midwest)
McDonald’s Corporation
Gloria Santona
(Midwest)
FleetBoston Financial Corporation
Gary A. Spiess
(Northeast)
Reuters America Inc.
Nancy C. Gardner
(Northeast)
Southwest Airlines Co.
Deborah Ackerman
(South)
SBC Communiations, Inc.
James D. Ellis
(South)
Intel Corporation
F. Thomas Dunlap, Jr.
(West)
Hilton Hotels Corporation
Madeleine A. Kleiner
(West)
Wells Fargo & Company
Stanley S. Stroup
(West)

2001


Bank of America Corporation
Paul J. Polking
(Mid-Atlantic)
Gannett Co., Inc.
Thomas L. Chapple
(Mid-Atlantic)
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Anastasia D. Kelly
(Midwest)
Ford Motor Company
Dennis E. Ross
(Midwest)
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Theodore A. Levine
(Northeast)
International Paper Company
William B. Lytton
(Northeast)
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Christopher C. Mansfield
(Northeast)
Compaq Computer Corporation
Thomas Siekman
(South)
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Jeffrey Reitman
(South)
Shell Oil Company
Catherine Lamboley
(South)
Intel Corporation
F. Thomas Dunlap, Jr.
(West)
Hilton Hotels Corporation
Madeleine A. Kleiner
(West)
Wells Fargo & Company
Stanley S. Stroup
(West)

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