NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED LAW FIRMS
The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), founded in 2001, is a nonprofit trade association comprised of minority and women-owned law firms, business partners such as Adidas America, Inc., American Airlines, AT&T Corporation, Bellsouth Corporation, Burger King Corporation, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Eddie Bauer, Inc., Domino's Pizza, Inc., The Coca Cola Company, Steelcase, Inc., Sun Chemical Corporation, Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation; and other interested parties throughout the United States. NAMWOLF provides a two-fold benefit to its members and our marketplace: (1) to make available highly skilled and tested lawyers to effectively and competently represent the legal interests of larger companies; and (2) to ensure the long-term survival of high-quality minority and women-owned law firms.
Many companies interested in achieving diversity with outside professional services firms have historically focused almost exclusively on the utilization of minority and female attorneys positioned within larger firms.
Yet, the available data strongly suggests that these efforts have not resulted in diversity in the profession. It is NAMWOLF’s view that the most effective way for companies to increase diversity in the legal profession is to increase their retention of minority and women-owned law firms. We are a member of this great organization dedicated to giving its business partners access to the highest quality legal services by vetting minority and women owned law firms.
NAMWOLF’s Law Firm Membership is comprised of AV®-rated firms from across the country that have provided legal services to major corporate clients. In order to qualify for membership in NAMWOLF, a minority or women-owned firm must receive positive reviews by at least three Fortune® 500 companies. Firms must also be certified by a regional minority owned business council, thereby confirming that the firm is truly minority or women owned. Through these efforts, NAMWOLF has provided its corporate partners access to a previously vetted, highly qualified group of lawyers, and at the same time, has ensured the long-term survival of these minority and women-owned law firms.