A two-day national conference that will highlight diversity initiatives in the legal profession opens in Detroit Tuesday, October 15. The 2002 "Minority Outside Counsel Networking Conference," is the first organized by three major corporate sponsors - Comerica Incorporated, Ford Motor Company and General Motors, companies that have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to diversity. Contract Counsel, a Madison Heights-based legal-staffing company, is coordinating the conference, which is being attended by over 350 people. The net proceeds of the conference have been pledged to the State Bar of Michigan's Access to Justice Fund, which supports civil legal services for low-income people. This donation is expected to exceed $100,000.

The purpose of the conference is to expand knowledge of minority outside counsel available to meet corporate legal needs and to provide a forum where invited counsel can become better acquainted with the three sponsoring corporations. Attendees will have opportunities to meet and network with staff attorneys from the three companies at panel discussions, a "round-robin" networking session as well as at luncheons and a reception.

The organizers of this conference have been actively involved in the Bar's ATJ Corporate Committee.

Thomas A. Gottschalk, Executive Vice President & General Counsel Law & Public Policy of General Motors, E. Christopher Johnson, Jr., Vice President and General Counsel of North America of General Motors, George W. Madison, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Comerica Incorporated, and Dennis Ross, Vice President and General Counsel of Ford Motor Company, were praised for their efforts by State Bar of Michigan President, Reginald M. Turner.

"The leadership provided by George Madison, Dennis Ross, Tom Gottschalk and Chris Johnson is an inspiration and a shining example of professionalism and respect for diversity. This conference shows that the companies involved place a very high value on creating opportunities for inclusion. They've not only provided a platform for addressing and resolving diversity issues, they've also made the pledge through their ATJ donation to give a voice to those in our society who are dispossessed and in dire need of civil legal aid."

For more information about the State Bar's Access to Justice efforts, call Candace Crowley or Jennifer Williams at 1-800-968-1442 or visit the web site at www.michbar.org.

George Madison

Dennis Ross

Tom Gottschalk

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