Finnegan appoints partner as D&I lead
Law firm Finnegan has announced that partner Scott Burwell has been appointed as the firm’s partner-in-charge of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In this role, he will work closely with the firm’s chief diversity and inclusion (D&I) officer and firm leadership to recruit, retain, and promote diverse talent and to advance D&I goals in client services and external collaborations.
Burwell recently concluded his term on the firm’s management committee, and has been heavily involved in D&I initiatives within the firm through his current involvement as co-chair of the firm’s alumni committee and in the firm’s Finnegan IP University programme, as well as through his previous role as the hiring partner for Finnegan’s Washington, DC, and Reston office.
In an article for WIPR, “ A catalyst for action”, he noted that “the rate of attrition among minority attorneys is disproportionately high, which then results in even greater under-representation of Black and Hispanic attorneys at the senior associate and partner levels of law firms”.
Burwell also pointed out that “clients have become a key driver in achieving law firm diversity, particularly if they insist upon greater representation of Black and Hispanic lawyers among their outside counsel”.
Commenting on his recent appointment, he said: “D&I is an integral part of Finnegan’s culture and I take pride in working with the firm to establish and facilitate efforts that provide an inclusive workplace environment. This does not start or end with recruitment, but is embedded in our approach to pipeline development in science, tech, engineering and maths, recruiting, mentoring, development, advancement, retention, and innovating with our clients,” said Burwell.
He is a first-chair litigator, focusing primarily on Hatch-Waxman litigations, and for more than 25 years, he has represented pharmaceutical companies on matters involving blockbuster drugs such as Zyprexa, Evista, Strattera, and Enbrel.
He is also listed in LMG Life Sciences as an ‘Intellectual Property: Life Sciences Star’. Since 2007, Burwell has been an adjunct professor at Howard University School of Law, teaching patent law and public policy courses.
“We are excited for Scott to take on this role,” said Finnegan’s managing partner, Erika Arner. “His contributions to the firm and diverse perspectives have been invaluable in helping to advance our D&I initiatives.”
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