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Initiatives & Events

The Firm's attorneys annually take part in a number of diversity initiatives. These include:

  • Baird Holm established two $5,000 scholarships which are awarded annually to students the University of Nebraska College of Law and Creighton University College of Law. These scholarships target admitted students who have financial need and who are from educationally and culturally disadvantaged backgrounds. The purpose of each of these scholarships is to encourage and enable first-year law students from diverse backgrounds to attend law schools in Nebraska. Click here to learn about our 2008-2009 scholarship recipients.
  • Baird Holm is a Gold Level Sponsor of the Nebraska Bar Association LSAT Prep Scholarship. The LSAT Prep Scholarship Program assists diverse and minority individuals with preparing for the LSAT exam by covering the costs of a Kaplan LSAT Preparatory Course and registration for the LSAT exam with the goal of increasing the diverse student population. Click here to learn about our 2008-2009 scholarship recipient. 
  • Baird Holm also sponsors a similar LSAT program with the University of Nebraska at Omaha though the Goodrich Fellowship, an organization established to increase minority student successes at the undergraduate level. The program also includes a 2-day internship at the Firm where students have the opportunity to meet with members of the Firm and explore the workplace and a legal career.
  • Baird Holm recently sponsored the fall 2009 Legal Diversity Summit for the fifth year in a row. This event focused on the importance of diversity in law firms and hosted minority students from law schools in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas and Missouri.  Baird Holm partner Gretchen Twohig spoke at the event regarding business development. 
  • Baird Holm was a Corporate Sponsor of the 2008 and 2009 ICAN Women's Leadership Conferences. The Women's Leadership Conference is a one-day conference, which aims to empower Omaha women. This year, three of our women attorneys spoke at the breakout session: Prepare for the Unexpected. In addition, Mike Sullivan, a partner with Baird Holm, serves as secretary for ICAN, inc. and is on the Board of Directors.

Past events include:

  • Baird Holm hosted a reception at its offices with the Midlands Bar Association to honor the first African American president of the Nebraska Bar Association in January 2007.
  • We have been a participant and supporter of the Nebraska Bar Association Legal Diversity Summit since its inception in 2004. This event focuses on the importance of diversity in law firms and hosts minority students from law schools in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri. Firm attorneys interviewed several minority students, and attended the events and reception to visit with students.
  • Baird Holm was the primary sponsor of the fall 2007 Legal Diversity Summit.
  • 2006 and 2007 University of Nebraska Pre-Law Institute - The Firm hosted the annual learning reception for minority undergraduates in the University of Nebraska Pre-law Institute. The purpose of the Institute is to expose minority undergraduate students to law school and law careers. Approximately 30 minority students attended the reception at the Firm's office along with 40 Baird Holm attorneys. Baird Holm presented an overview and attorneys visited with students to discuss law schools and career opportunities in the legal profession.
  • In 2006, the Firm engaged a nationally recognized diversity consulting firm to evaluate the Firm's diversity efforts and make recommendations.  This led to an all-attorney program on diversity issues and an all-attorney retreat session on mentoring of associates with diverse backgrounds.