Littler Mendelson’s Career Advocacy Program pairs minorities and attorneys who have identified themselves as LGBTQ or differently abled with firm leaders and general counsel of the firm’s clients, including NBCUniversal, Verizon and others, for mentorship and leadership development. The program garnered the firm one of three Innovations in Diversity and Inclusion Awards that will be honored at the California Leaders in Tech Law and Innovation Awards. The Recorder recently caught up with Natalie Pierce, a San Francisco-based co-chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Counsel who developed the program, to discuss how it came together.

The firm’s Career Advocacy Program pairs participants with leaders within the firm and with clients for mentorship and leadership development. How important is the client component of those opportunities?