Diversity

We strive to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace through our retention, recruitment and development efforts, as well as our culture of belonging. We believe that a shared understanding and commitment to our Vision and Values creates a culture of excellence, integrity and caring and makes us a great place to work.

We believe our success in providing unparalleled service to our clients relies upon our people. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging that welcomes individuals of all backgrounds, genders, gender identities, sexes, races, colors, national origins, ages, ethnicities, creeds, religions and sexual orientations, as well as veterans and persons with disabilities.

Susan Lovern is the firm's first female President and CEO and a long-time von Briesen lawyer, having started with the firm as a summer associate. Susan has been recognized as a “Power Player” and a “Woman of Influence” by the Milwaukee Business Journal and she was featured in Wisconsin Lawyer's special focus issue Changemakers: Women as Leaders.

Our women attorney group, “vBR Women”, is co-chaired by Doris Brosnan and Mollie Kugler. The group organizes educational, networking and social events. We are sponsors of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) and Association for Women Lawyers (AWL). Our attorneys regularly participate in AWL and NAWL conferences and lead networking initiatives for women lawyers. In addition, we have a long history of serving in leadership roles with the AWL.

Olivia Jaskolski, the firm's digital law librarian, is a recipient of the Black Excellence Award from the Milwaukee Times. Olivia was recognized for being the first African-American Law Librarian in the State of Wisconsin.

Attorney Recruiting, Integration and Development

The firm continually works to recruit and retain a workforce with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. We strongly encourage qualified women, minorities, Veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community to apply. We actively recruit candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

We support participation in organizations that promote diversity, hire diverse candidates and provide networking opportunities for all. We work with diverse business partners and minority-owned staffing agencies such as Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Best Buddies and Diversity Management Group.

Building an Inclusive Workplace

The Firm partners with outside consultants and professionals to strengthen our culture of belonging – where every individual feels valued, respected and connected, and to deepen the importance of our core value of caring – supporting the professional growth and wholistic well-being of our employees. Firm leaders have participated in a multi-part training focused on understanding DE&I competencies, implementing the principles into practice, and applying the concepts to inform recruiting strategies and develop inclusive leadership skills. We have hosted employee education programs on unconscious bias, focusing on strengthening recognition and understanding of unconscious bias and developing techniques to mitigate it in order to positively contribute to a culture of inclusion.

Our inclusion efforts and training are ongoing. Firm-wide inclusion and integrity sessions explore the principles of belonging, share practical ways to foster an inclusive culture in our everyday interactions – both inside and outside of the workplace – define integrity and reinforce its role as a foundation to maintain a strong and connected firm. We acknowledge the importance of caring for people, especially our colleagues, and host programs on topics such as growing together and building connection and well-being professionally.

A culture of belonging and inclusion are crucial to our success – boosting engagement, framing and enhancing decision-making, and fostering resilience. It helps make our Firm a great place to work.

Family Friendly and Balanced Workplace Policies

At von Briesen we understand that supporting our employees also means supporting their family, whatever that looks like. We support work-life balance through alternative or reduced work schedules and provide the technology and tools to support remote work. Our benefit offerings and workplace policies aim to assist our employees and beyond. Equal parental paid leave benefits for the birth or adoption of a child, short-term disability coverage, and generous paid time-off are examples of the benefits and policies available to employees. We enjoy celebrating with our employees and supporting them through important life events.

The firm offers robust mental health programming that focuses on resilient thinking, mental health awareness, burnout avoidance, understanding depression, and programs for parents on supporting children's mental health. Regular wellness programming is offered to support our employees, their family members and their overall support systems; our goal is to support the whole person, both inside and outside of the workplace.

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