MEYER DARRAGH'S STATEMENT

ON DIVERSITY

Meyer Darragh is committed to diversity, including gender, racial and handicap diversity. Our managing attorney is a woman, one of the few in this region, and we have women partners and associates at Meyer Darragh. Meghan E. Jones-Rolla, an associate with the firm, is the firm’s Diversity Coordinator, which demonstrates the firm’s view of its diversity commitment.

The firm participates in the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, attending its events and supporting its efforts, including attending its annual dinner in 2005. Of note, Meyer Darragh’s commitment to diversity was honored in the first edition of African American Leadership Directory.

Managing Attorney Marie Milie Jones serves as a co-chair of the Law Firm/ Law Department Task Force of the Diversity Initiative. The firm’s recent efforts in this venture include Meyer Darragh’s 2005 participation in the Allegheny County Bar Association's Minority Summer Clerkship Program. The firm welcomed Ariell Antonio, one of 15 students from the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University law schools participating in the program. This was the first year for the ACBA's minority summer clerkship program, an initiative where students from the law schools were placed in clerkships with some of the city's law firms, corporate law departments, and government agencies. The firm was very pleased with the diversity initiative and, since her return to law school, Ariell continues to work at the firm on a part-time basis and has recently agreed to return for a summer clerkship in 2006.

As part of its internal diversity efforts, upon hiring with the firm, each employee is provided daylong training on firm policy, including issues relating to acceptance of a diverse workplace and acceptance of individuals of diverse backgrounds, ethnic identification, and sexual orientation.

Additionally, each employee is required to watch a video on prohibited conduct, harassment and discrimination, is provided a personnel manual upon hiring, and is trained on various policies including (1) our policy against harassment and discrimination, (2) statement of prohibited conduct, (3) procedures for making and investigating complaints of harassment and discrimination, (4) policy prohibiting workplace violence based upon, among other things, race, gender, ethnic background or sexual orientation, (5) E-Mail policy prohibiting, among other things, circulation or storage of material which contains sexual material or innuendo, racial slurs, gender offensive conduct, or any comment that offensively addresses someone’s age, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, national origin, or disability.

Quarterly, diversity training is provided to the professional staff at firm meetings. Issues of diversity acceptance, recruitment, hiring, retention, and support are raised, discussed and voted on by the partnership. Many policies have been accepted and implemented to participate in, support, and fund, among others, the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) Diversity Initiative, ACBA Minority Summer Intern Program, ACBA Minority Job Fair Program, ACBA Homer S. Brown Society, and Pennsylvania Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession. Additionally, guidance is provided to the professional staff on the importance of a diverse workplace, providing clients diverse views, and supporting diversity initiatives.

Twice monthly, diversity issues are addressed by the firm’s Executive Committee. The issues addressed include our present diversity needs and initiatives, methods to increase minority retention, topics for discussion on a firm level, appointment of diversity coordinators and diversity issues for analysis at the firm’s annual retreat. Also, requests for funding, support, and membership in diversity initiatives are discussed and approved with the managing partner at the management level.