Steven L. Emmons
General Counsel
Taco Bell Corp. is the nation’s leading Mexican-style, quick-service restaurant chain serving tacos, burritos, and signature dishes such as Crunchwrap Supreme, Border Bowls, and Gorditas. Taco Bell serves more than 35 million consumers each week in nearly 6,000 restaurants in the United States. At the end of 2005, the Taco Bell system sales reached $1.8 billion in company and $4.4 billion in franchise sales.
(L to R): Veta T. Richardson of MCCA; Steven L. Emmons of Taco Bell Corp.; and Guy Rounsaville, Jr. of Visa International
Vice President and General Counsel Steven L. Emmons leads an impressive diverse team. Fifty percent of the attorneys are minorities and 38 percent are women. “Diversity makes for a richer life,” says Emmons, “but inclusiveness doesn’t happen on its own. We need to nudge ourselves out of our comfort zone to gather different perspectives.”
Taco Bell’s legal department has had little turnover, needing to fill only one attorney position in the last five years. Nonetheless, it is always on the lookout for good people to handle its matters. Taco Bell is active in minority bar associations such as the California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP), attending conferences with an eye to meeting diverse attorneys to serve as outside counsel. Additionally, Taco Bell places a special emphasis on working with minority- and women-owned firms.
The company as a whole is greatly committed to helping teenagers become successful and productive leaders in their communities. Through its partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America (B&GC), Taco Bell supports teen-focused initiatives nationwide that are designed to build self-esteem, leadership skills, and values. Taco Bell regularly contributes to B&GC and CMCP. And, its lawyers are encouraged to involve themselves in professional organizations promoting development of minorities within the legal field.
Additionally, demonstrating a commitment to higher education, Taco Bell extended a $5,000 grant to the American Indian College Fund. The award has been made available in support of American Indian students attending various tribal colleges and universities across the United States.
In July 2006, Taco Bell was named as one of Orange County’s “Five Best Places to Work.” For the past three years, Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum! Brands, has been recognized as one of Fortune magazine’s “Top 50 Employers for Minorities.” It also has been recognized as one of the “Top 50 Employers for Women” by Fortune, one of the “30 Best Companies for Diversity” by Black Enterprise, and one of the “Corporate 100 Companies Providing Opportunities for Hispanics” by Hispanic Magazine.
From the November/December 2006 issue of Diversity & The Bar®