The California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) seeks to promote and sustain diversity and inclusion in California’s legal profession by developing professional opportunities for attorneys of color and providing business, legal and lay communities access to their talent. To recognize the organizations which capture the spirit of the CMCP mission, CMCP annually bestows three awards: The John Essex and Guy Rounsaville In-House Counsel Diversity Award; The Drucilla Stender Ramey Law Firm Award and the Minority-Owned Law Firm Client Service Award. Described below, these awards reflect CMCP’s long standing tradition of honoring those dedicated to the furtherance of CMCP’s mission. The awards will be presented at the Awards Luncheon during the 2009 CMCP Annual Conference.

John Essex and Guy Rounsaville In-House Counsel Diversity Award

Awarded to the CMCP corporate or public agency member that has demonstrated the strongest commitment to diversity. Nominations may be made by law firms the department works with or departments may self-nominate. The award is based on the following:

Awarded to the CMCP majority-owned law firm member that has demonstrated the strongest commitment to diversity. Nominations may be made by clients or firms may self-nominate. The award is based upon the following:

This award is awarded to the CMCP minority-owned law firm that has best demonstrated outstanding client service. Clients may make nominations or firms may self-nominate. To nominate a firm, please submit the name of the firm, the particular attorneys at the firm with whom you worked, and specific examples of superior service, positive results and any other information you believe would be helpful to the selection committee. For self-nominations, please submit 3 client references (pro bono clients acceptable), specific examples of superior service, positive results, and any other information you believe would be helpful to the selection committee.

Award Determination

The CMCP Awards Committee determines Award recipients. Award recipients will be notified no later than September 10, 2009. All committee decisions will be final and binding. The Awardees will be celebrated at the 20th Annual Business Conference, September 24-25, 2009, at the Downtown Marriott in Los Angeles. Please see www.cmcp.org/2020/ for details.