Kristine McKinney

Kristine McKinney
CPDO

Fish & Richardson
Headquarters: n/a
Business: Legal Services
CEO: Peter Devlin
Website: www.fr.com

CPDO KRISTINE MCKINNEY Shares Her D&I Views

“Fish has built a phenomenal D&I program that supports recruiting, retention, and advancement of individuals from all backgrounds. The firm also has a history of tremendous community engagement. So our opportunities do not lie in low-hanging fruit because that work has been done. Our focus is now on systemic and organizational change.”

New Strategy, New Role

“In 2017, Fish launched an entirely new D&I strategic plan. This came as a result of the need to more clearly articulate our D&I goals and further embed D&I into all of our talent management processes. It also served to elevate the D&I conversation, so it is regularly addressed at the highest level of our firm. Each goal in our strategic plan has specific key performance indicators that provide measurement and accountability to ensure change is happening. The addition of my role as a C-level executive, a key part of the new plan, reflects the strategic importance of this work.”

A New Focus on D&I

“In 2017, the focus of the firm’s annual partners’ retreat was D&I. There was a highly engaging session on unconscious bias and the steps we must take to reduce its effects; a table-workshop during which partners identified D&I challenges and opportunities; and firm leadership delivered messages about the strategic importance of D&I. While D&I had always been woven into the annual meeting, this was the first time it was the focus of an entire day. This new approach signaled our institutional commitment to embedding D&I throughout the firm. Since the meeting, we have continued to see increased involvement and discussion regarding D&I at all levels of the firm.”

Fish’s D&I Goals for 2018

“Our D&I strategic plan has set these six important and ambitious goals for 2018:

  1. We will educate and engage everyone in our firm on diversity & inclusion.
  2. We will embed diversity and inclusion into all career development processes and procedures for the firm.
  3. We will increase the representation of individuals from diverse backgrounds in our firm.
  4. We will increase the percentage of individuals from diverse backgrounds in positions of leadership.
  5. We will increase the percentage of individuals from diverse backgrounds in positions of responsibility with firm clients.
  6. We will be recognized as an industry leader in diversity and inclusion.”