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NEWS RELEASE

October 10, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thelen Presented with Prestigious Diversity Award

Thelen LLP announced today that the California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) has awarded the firm the Drucilla Stender Ramey Majority-Owned Law Firm Award at the organization’s 16th Annual Business Development Conference. The CMCP seeks to increase diversity in the legal profession and enhance opportunities for attorneys of color. The 2005 California Minority Counsel Program’s Annual awards are designed to honor those entities committed to the goals and objectives of CMCP.

The Drucilla Stender Ramey Majority-Owned Law Firm Award is given to the CMCP majority-owned law firm member that has demonstrated the strongest commitment to diversity. The award is based upon the following: a law firm’s commitment to CMCP; minority attorneys within the law firm; minority attorneys in partnership, leadership and other special roles within the law firm and community service.

“We are honored and proud to be recognized for our efforts” said Deborah Broyles, Chair of Thelen’s Diversity Committee and active member of the CMCP Steering Committee. “We have always believed that a diverse workforce enhances our workplace and improves the quality of services we provide to our clients. We constantly strive to create an inclusive environment in which all of our attorneys are able to develop professionally and succeed in the practice of law.”

Thelen is a longtime supporter and member of the CMCP and was a Platinum level sponsor of CMCP’s 16th Annual Business Development Conference. In the past, Thelen has hosted several CMCP events including the “Best Practices in Diversity” Roundtable discussion (June 2003) and “Executive Coaching for Minority Lawyers: Grooming Lawyers for the Next Stage of Leadership” (June 2004)

To affirm its commitment to diversity, Thelen signed on to the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Diversity Programs and Model Policies. The firm is also a signatory to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s 2003 Statement of Diversity Principles. Both of these initiatives call upon law firms to hire diverse incoming classes and to strive to maintain this diversity as associate attorneys rise in seniority and ultimately are considered for partnership.

As a result of its diversity achievements, the firm received the 2004 Defense Research Institute’s law firm diversity award which recognizes law firms achieving outstanding diversity goals through achievement, sensitivity and receptivity of diversity issues including promotion of minority and women attorneys. Additionally, the firm received the 2003 “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” Award from the Bar Association of San Francisco, whose ground breaking “No Glass Ceiling” initiative encourages the promotion of women in the management and partnership ranks. This honor recognizes Thelen’s significant efforts and continued commitment to advancing women to partnership and management ranks. Additionally, Thelen has consistently ranked in the top 15% to 18% in the National Law Journal’s Diversity Scorecard, which tracks the percentage of minority attorneys at the 250 largest law firms in the United States.

For further information, contact:

Deborah Broyles
Partner
National Chair—Diversity Committee
Thelen LLP
415.369.7203
djbroyles@thelenreid.com


Chris Abramson
Chief Administrative Officer
415.369.7570
cabramson@thelenreid.com

About Thelen LLP
Thelen LLP is a national law firm with more than 440 lawyers in New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and northern New Jersey. The firm provides superior legal services with a focus on complex commercial litigation; corporate and capital markets transactions; project and asset finance; construction; labor and employment; intellectual property; domestic and international tax; employee benefits; government affairs; and real estate. Thelen's client service philosophy emphasizes teamwork, collaboration and communications — values that are critical to a successful client relationship. Committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting attorneys and staff who reflect the diversity of its clients and surrounding communities, the firm is the proud recipient of the Defense Research Institute's (DRI) 2004 Commitment to Diversity Award.

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