On Tuesday, October 18, Orrick will host our eighth annual “Dive/In,” a worldwide celebration of the different backgrounds and cultures that constitute the global community in which we practice law.  As part of this celebration, we are hosting diversity and inclusion events for clients and friends of the firm in eight cities in the United States and in our Geneva office, each focused on a different view on diversity.

We hope you and your colleagues will join us for one of the following events.

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Arun Chandrasekharan		Gerciane Charles		Rena L. Scott		Vanessa Liborio

The Geneva office will host a discussion with Arun Chandrasekharan, a Board Member of the Order of the Geneva Bar Association and Partner with the Swiss firm of Des Gouttes & Associés; Gerciane Charles, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager at Medtronic; and Rena L. Scott, Of Counsel, at Orrick. The discussion will be moderated by Orrick partner Vanessa Liborio, and will focus on best practices for working across different cultures effectively. Culture—values, assumptions, and perceptions often instilled early in life—dictates many aspects of an individual's behavior. At times, its influence is subtle; at others, its impact is apparent, yet its effects are far reaching. With offices across the world, clients with diverse backgrounds, projects that cross borders, or simply a diverse workforce, understanding how to work cross-culturally is becoming an ever more valuable skill.

State Senator Rodney Ellis

A reception and presentation featuring State Senator Rodney Ellis. Senator Ellis recently secured the Democratic nomination for the Precinct 1 Seat on the Harris County Commissioners Court and will run unopposed on the November ballot. Senator Ellis was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990. During his tenure, he has been a leader on economic development, education, civil rights, responsible environmental policy, middle class tax cuts, and criminal justice issues, having passed over 600 bills. Senator Ellis will speak about his experience and career in public service and his efforts to promote equality, education, civil rights, and criminal justice reforms.

Erwin Chemerinsky		Ron Banks		Gerald Chaleff		Nolan Rollins		Jody Armour

A lunch time discussion on the Black Lives Matter movement, multiculturalism, and the U.S. Constitution featuring Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UC Irvine School of Law; Ron Banks, former Chief of Police of the Inglewood Police Department; Gerald Chaleff, former president of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners; Nolan Rollins, President of the Los Angeles Urban League; and Jody David Armour, USC Gould School of Law Professor and Black Lives Matter ally.

Dr. Dan-el Padilla Peralta

A discussion and reception with Dr. Dan-el Padilla Peralta, author of Undocumented: A Dominican Boy's Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to the Ivy League. A graduate of Princeton, Oxford, and Stanford, and a Columbia University Fellow, Dr. Peralta came to the United States from the Dominican Republic with his family in 1989. In his memoir and lectures, Dr. Peralta offers an honest and inspiring glimpse of the American immigrant experience, chronicling his journey from the rough streets of New York City to the top of his class at Princeton, where he now serves as an assistant professor of Classics.

Stories of Immigration and Assimilation. Local adults and teens from MercyCorps Northwest and Parkrose School/AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) will speak about their personal journeys to Portland from other countries, the challenges they face, and their success stories. MercyCorps Northwest is a nonprofit organization and Orrick client that provides emergency relief, sustainable community-led initiatives, and innovation against poverty in countries around the world. Both locally and abroad, MercyCorps provides microfinance loans, training, and other assistance to immigrants and refugees. AVID's mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. Parkrose High School is located in Parkrose School District in Northeast Portland.

Maysoon Zayid

An evening discussion with Maysoon Zayid, an actress, comedian, disability advocate, and writer. Ms. Zayid is a graduate of, and a Guest Comedian in Residence at, Arizona State University and co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival and The Muslim Funny Fest. She was a full-time On-Air Contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann and a columnist for The Daily Beast. She has most recently appeared on Oprah Winfrey Network's In Deep Shift, on 60 Minutes, and on The Meredith Vieira Show. Maysoon had the number one TED Talk of 2014 and was named 1 of 100 Women of 2015 by the BBC.

As a professional comedian, Maysoon has performed in top New York clubs and has toured extensively at home and abroad. She was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild Comedy Tour and The Muslims Are Coming Tour. Maysoon appeared alongside Adam Sandler in You Don't Mess with the Zohan and is the founder of Maysoon's Kids, a scholarship and wellness program for disabled refugee children. Maysoon walked in New York Fashion Week and is proud to be an ambassador for Kara Ross's Diamonds Unleashed. She was delighted to be a 2013 honoree of United Cerebral Palsy NYC's Women Who Care Awards and is honored to sit on their planning committee.

A lunch and presentation with Martin Shively, Associate General Counsel, Microsoft, and Melody Young, Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney from KIND—Kids in Need of Defense—a pro bono client of the firm that serves the surging number of child migrants who enter the United States alone. KIND was founded by actress and philanthropist Angelina Jolie and the Microsoft Corporation to create a pro bono movement of law firms, corporations, nongovernmental organizations, universities, and volunteers to provide quality and compassionate legal counsel to unaccompanied refugee and immigrant children in the United States.

An evening reception and interactive performance by San Jose Taiko, followed by a question and answer period with the performers. Through an interactive performance, San Jose Taiko will introduce us to their music's roots in traditional Japanese drumming, as well as how they have joined the historical art form with other world rhythms. San Jose Taiko, whose mission is "humanity connected through cultural understanding, artistic expression, and rhythmic heartbeat," has been honored for its efforts to foster cultural and ethnic diversity in the arts.

An evening discussion with Julissa Arce, an emerging and leading voice in the fight for immigrant rights and education equality. Ms. Arce is the Chairman and Co-founder of the Ascend Educational Fund (AEF). AEF is a college scholarship and mentorship program for immigrant students in New York City, regardless of their ethnicity, national original, or immigration status. She made national and international headlines when she revealed that she had achieved the American Dream of wealth and status at Goldman Sachs while undocumented. Julissa uses her inspirational story to change the conversation around immigration in her forthcoming book, My (Underground) American Dream, released September 2016. The book explores the polarizing question: For an undocumented immigrant, what is the true cost of the American dream?