May 10, 2016 – MIAMI – Dedicated to both diversity and meaningful inclusion, Alvarez Arrieta & Diaz-Silveira LLP (AADS), together with the Coral Gables-based complex business litigation firm León Cosgrove LLC, have collectively launched and are continuing to develop a Women’s Initiative.

The Women’s Initiative focuses on the career advancement of the firms’ women lawyers by creating meaningful networking opportunities, enhancing business development skills and bolstering institutional support to address the unique obstacles faced by women in the legal profession, including the gender discrimination that continues to pervade the profession as recently reported in the Florida Bar’s 2015 Young Lawyer’s Division Survey on Women in the Legal Profession.

The first two events of the Women’s Initiative were held in February and April 2016. There will be six formal events each year that will feature guest speakers, skill-building activities and discussion topics, with additional informal monthly opportunities conducive to further creating this community of women leaders.

Colleen Grady of AADS is co-leading the Women’s Initiative with León Cosgrove’s Carly Kligler. “Both firms are dedicated to enhancing the opportunities for all lawyers, opportunities that will result in real cultural and institutional changes,” Grady reported. “As members of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), both AADS and León Cosgrove are committed to and strongly value the concepts of inclusion and active mentoring. The Women’s Initiative was a natural extension and formalization of this commitment.” Kligler elaborates that, “Both of our firms share a dedication to the hiring, promotion and success of women lawyers. It’s very exciting to be taking this objective one step further with the kind of mentoring and community-building that is our unique responsibility, and privilege.”

The firms jointly plan to expand the Women’s Initiative after continuing to develop a strong foundation.