Inclusion
Find out more about our global commitment to inclusion
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At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, we don’t expect our people to be or think the same. That’s why fostering an inclusive and respectful culture where our people can be themselves, contribute their ideas and perform roles which are meaningful and aligned to our shared values is a core business priority.
Justin D'Agostino
CEO
Our approach
We are proud of our commitment to attracting, developing and retaining people from a wide range of backgrounds and fostering a respectful, inclusive, high-performing culture where everyone can thrive. This is at the heart of what we do and who we are, and it is underpinned by our values – human, bold, and outstanding – and our vision to be a world-leading international law firm known for our insight and diverse perspectives.
The US offices of HSF Kramer support a wide range of organizations aimed at increasing inclusion in the legal profession, including the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian American Bar Association of New York, Corporate Council Women of Color, Lambda Legal, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, the National Association of Women Lawyers, The Appellate Project and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.
Since July 2021, we have participated in Diversity Lab’s Mansfield process, a national initiative designed to ensure fair and equal opportunity to advance into leadership. We received certification as part of the 2023-24 cohort, have signed on to the 2024-25 process and remain committed to the program’s mission.
We have also been a proud member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance since 2021.
Our inclusion program has been recognized by many of the organizations that monitor such efforts, including Vault and the Chambers Associate satisfaction survey. In 2024 the firm received the Legal Benchmarking Group’s Social Impact Awards for Disability Program of the Year and Social Impact Case of the Year. We also earned a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2026 Corporate Equality Index, earning an Equality 100 Award as a leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.
Racial Justice Initiative Scholars
In the US, our Racial Justice Initiative supports pro bono opportunities focused on racial injustice and inequality, including criminal justice reform. Read more about our Racial Justice Initiative here.
The Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) Scholars program offers 1L law (first year) students from select New York City-area law schools an opportunity to kickstart their legal careers by exposing them to the practice of law in a real-world setting with supervision and support from the firm’s lawyers.
Read more about our Racial Justice Initiative Scholars program here.
Supporting Change
We believe we must do our part to create a more inclusive society – locally, nationally and globally. We are proud to support organizations that directly advance a more just legal culture, including:
Key contacts
Christopher S Auguste
Chair, Inclusion Committee, New York
Nada M Llewellyn
Chief Inclusion Officer, New York