Alison Chen Profiled as Texas Lawyer Diversity and Inclusion Champion

Texas Lawyer has published a profile of, and Q&A with, Akin Gump tax partner Alison Chen, whom the publication named a Diversity and Inclusion Champion as part of its Professional Excellence Awards (learn more here). The awards will be conferred at a reception in Dallas on September 18.

The profile features details of Ms. Chen’s various roles at the firm, including her service as the Houston office hiring partner and Women’s Initiative chair, as well as her role on the office’s recruiting and diversity committees and as a member of Akin Gump’s Women’s Resource Group. Ms. Chen also discusses her background growing up in Taiwan and working in rice fields and a shoe factory as a child.

Regarding what law firms can do immediately to improve diversity and inclusion, Ms. Chen said, “Every law firm should already know where it stands on its diversity score card. The one thing every law firm can do immediately to improve diversity and inclusion is to take a deeper dive into those statistics and try to figure out why the numbers are the way they are.”

One piece of advice she would give someone, she said, is “Don’t wait to be asked to contribute.  Even though law firms can be very hierarchical, you should take initiatives at all stages of your career to express your ideas and promote diversity… I gained valuable leadership skills from these roles and positions and I was able to help shape the firms’ strategies and narratives on diversity.”

Ms. Chen was also recently recognized by Houston Business Journal with a 2019 Women Who Mean Business Award (learn more here).