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S-26 ■ JUNE 7, 2021 CONNECTICUT LEGAL AWARDS

■ From KEEPING on PAGE S-25 and inclusion under the firm’s Diversity Action Plan.
Stuart Katz, Cohen and Wolf Last September, the firm achieved Mansfield Rule
Under Stuart Katz’s leadership, Cohen and Wolf’s 3.0 diversity and inclusion certification after com-
commitment to diversity and inclusion remained pleting a year-long process, agreeing to consider at
unwavering during the COVID-19 pandemic. least 30 percent historically underrepresented law-
Undeterred by physical isolation, the firm’s Diversity yers as candidates for leadership roles. The firm has
and Inclusion Committee established a new Lunch also recommitted to Mansfield Rule 4.0. Robinson &
& Learn Series, with guest speakers discussing top- Cole is also among the first firms to have joined the
ics such as implicit bias, discrimination and racism. Law Firm Antiracism Alliance.
Participants have discovered a variety of ways to Saxe Doernberger & Vita
make the legal field more inclusive, and they have Saxe Doernberger & Vita was among the first
had impactful discussions about current events. law firms in Connecticut to sign the Connecticut
The Lunch & Learn Series has emerged as a popular Bar Association’s Diversity & Inclusion Plan and
event for attendees. Pledge. The firm strives to create an environment
Steven Lapp, McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & that highlights and promotes the collective value
Carpenter of its employees’ differences, and has implemented
Steven Lapp is Hartford office partner for McEl- diversity initiatives in the areas of recruitment, com-
roy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, focusing on pensation and benefits, professional development
litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Outside and business. The firm notes that 61% of its attor-
the firm, he serves on the Board of the Lawyers Col- neys are female, and three of the last five attorneys
laborative for Diversity, of which McElroy Deutsch elevated to partner are female. Incorporated in the
was one of the founding firms 16 years ago. Lapp firm’s Mission & Values Statement is the belief that
takes time to ensure talented, diverse junior law- the firm is stronger, more effective and more capable
yers have the opportunity to work on challenging of meeting the needs of clients and business interests
matters. He has also participated in the Cultural Di- when diversity and inclusion are embraced.
versity Initiative at UConn School of Law and has Travelers
interviewed many historically underrepresented Ken Horenstein, associate group general coun-
students for summer associate positions. sel for the Travelers claim legal liability group, has
Papcsy Janosov Roche Trial Lawyers a deep commitment to mentoring and developing
In 2020, after Donald Papcsy and his firm settled diverse legal talent and fostering that same com-
three cases totaling about $2 million, he directed mitment within the team that he leads at Travelers.
the firm to donate more than $20,000 from the pro- From individual mentoring to developing a group
ceeds to two Connecticut nonprofits, the Children’s of “diversity champions,” Horenstein leads a group
Law Center of Connecticut and the Choose Love of 35 attorneys across the country, encouraging all
Movement. “The cause is the fight for social equal- to further diversity and inclusion efforts both in and
ity,” Papcsy said at the time. “I strongly encourage outside the company. D&I team discussions have
other attorneys to do the same. Our hope is that we included the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that
can start a trend.” Papscy Jaosov Roche was recog- the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ employ-
nized as an industry leader for donating a portion of ees from discrimination and the decision’s place in
profits to community efforts, the firm remains com- history, including its impact during the resurgence
mitted to promoting social justice. of the Black Lives Matter movement. ■
John Lynch, Robinson & Cole
John B. Lynch, Jr. is a member of Robinson & Michael Marciano is bureau chief of the Connecti-
Cole’s business transactions group and chair of the cut Law Tribune. He can be reached at mmarciano@
firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. alm.com or call 646-957-3022. On Twitter: @Break-
He has spearheaded initiatives to promote diversity ingCTLaw
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