Embracing Diversity: Morris, Manning & Martin Launches LGBTQ Business Practice Group

by Team Iamsafeatwork

06-07-2023

Safety

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, a renowned law firm based in Atlanta, has taken a bold step forward in promoting diversity and inclusion by announcing the launch of a dedicated LGBTQ Business practice group. With this initiative, the firm aims to provide culturally conscious legal services to LGBTQ-owned businesses and Fortune 500 companies. This groundbreaking move positions Morris, Manning & Martin as the first Southern law firm to establish a practice group specifically tailored to the unique legal needs of the LGBTQ business community.

Leveraging their extensive experience in full-service business law and deep understanding of the LGBTQ community, the LGBTQ Business practice attorneys at Morris, Manning & Martin will offer comprehensive legal counsel to LGBTQ-owned and operated businesses, investors, brokers, buyers, sellers, and lenders. These services will encompass a wide range of legal issues, including real estate, finance, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation. Moreover, the group will actively assist corporate clients in achieving their diversity objectives by providing guidance on supplier diversity initiatives.

The primary objective of the new LGBTQ Business practice group is to ensure that LGBTQ clients have access to the necessary support and professional relationships to thrive in the business world. Co-chaired by Douglas D. Selph, a real estate and finance partner, and Charles E. Hicks, a commercial real estate associate and OUT Georgia Business Alliance ambassador, the practice group is driven by a commitment to equity and inclusion. By forming strategic partnerships with culturally aligned entities, LGBTQ businesses will gain a stronger foothold in the marketplace.

Morris, Manning & Martin’s commitment to supporting the LGBTQ community is further exemplified by the establishment of an advisory council comprising prominent firm partners. These partners, who possess expertise in their respective practice areas, will provide supplemental counselling services to LGBTQ businesses. This collaborative effort showcases the firm’s dedication to empowering LGBTQ entrepreneurs and fostering their growth. It includes partners such as Matthew J. Sours, Catherine Morgen, Daniel L. Huynh, Scott L. Allen, Larkin B. Ellzey, and Jessica A. Rodriguez.

Morris, Manning & Martin’s launch of the LGBTQ Business practice group is a testament to their longstanding pro bono work in the LGBTQ community. Over 50 firm attorneys actively participate in Atlanta Legal Aid’s Gender Affirming Name Change Project, offering pro bono legal name changing services to transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary individuals from low-income backgrounds. The firm’s perfect score of 100 in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index and their Mansfield 5.0 Plus certification highlight their unwavering commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality and diversity.

Morris, Manning & Martin’s pioneering step in establishing the LGBTQ Business practice group is a significant milestone in promoting diversity, inclusion, and legal support for the LGBTQ community in the Southern region. By combining their expertise in business law with a deep understanding of the LGBTQ community, the firm aims to provide culturally conscious legal services and foster strategic partnerships that will empower LGBTQ-owned businesses to succeed. This initiative not only underscores Morris, Manning & Martin’s commitment to equality but also sets a benchmark for other law firms to follow in creating inclusive spaces for underrepresented minority business sectors.