Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Action | LAI Video

Better Together: Telling a DEI Story

Investing heavily on various diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, Crowell & Moring knew it needed to show how its commitment to people was more than just promises on a webpage. We partnered with the law firm to produce a very special featurette that puts the spotlight on the employees — hearing firsthand accounts of their challenges with adversity and the company’s unprecedented support.

Who Tells the DEI Story?

Crowell & Moring has become a leader among law firms in its ability to retain and develop diverse talent through professional development programs, affinity groups, and a promise from leadership to be accountable and transparent. But how do you show that. The firm’s DEI and marketing teams shared with us a short list of current employees that was not only diverse — Black lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, Hispanic and Latinx lawyers — they also represented various professional levels and came from offices across the country. Jerod and Tiffany knew that we had to talk to them. And the big news: they would all be together for DEI retreat.

Creating a Space

With lawyers descending on DC at Crowell & Moring’s annual Diversity Summit, Alexandria and Jun setup a separate room for recording our featured subjects. The talent was not prompted with marketing soundbites. They were not expected to list initiatives or recite impressive statistics. They instead drove the conversation  themselves, sharing personal anecdotes of the many surprising ways Crowell has encourage all employees to thrive.

More Than Just an Event Video

While the Diversity Summit offered an incredible opportunity to cast the right participants, we knew we had to be very intentional with our b-roll to show that Crowell & Moring’s DEI commitment extends well beyond events. We placed emphasis on human connections, directing our subjects to interact with each other and other attendees. Justin wove together each narrative into a four-minute compilation show, among other things, how Crowell itself is still on a journey. This is only the beginning.