DEI Commitment
Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard is committed…
- to fostering an inclusive environment and cultivating a firm culture where individual differences are valued. Whether it’s related to race, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical ability, we view these unique qualities as assets that enhance the richness of our workplace.
- to encourage our attorneys and staff to help lead us in the development of new initiatives through a cooperative effort of active participation in community programs dedicated to DE&I.
- to education and communication through marketing materials, all recruiting materials, and the Firm handbook to ensure Firm attorneys and staff are aware and familiar with our commitment.
- to promoting inclusion through encouragement and financial support for attorneys and staff who actively serve minority populations through community involvement.
Firm Participation Examples
We are proud to have the opportunity to share a few examples of firm participation.
Lugenbuhl Shareholder Elia Diaz-Yaeger
- Recognized and spotlighted as an ‘Activist and Legal Trailblazer’ during Hispanic/Latino/a/x Heritage Month (September 2023) by the American Bar Association – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center.
- Interviewed by the New Orleans Bar Association Women in the Profession Committee for a Spotlight on Successful Women in Law that focused on diversity and her role as the HNBA National President. (January 2022)
- As the Hispanic National Bar Association’s National President (HNBA), invited to testify in front of the House Committee of the Judiciary about the importance of a Diverse Federal Judiciary. Topics included pathways to law school for minorities, access to law clerkships, and vetting nominees for the federal judicial branch. It first aired on C-Span on July 12, 2021.
- Invited to participate in a virtual Invitational Roundtable Discussion dedicated to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, including Cultural Competency and Bias, presented by The Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar of the American Bar Association (October 2020).
- Sworn in as National President of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) in September 2020. – (Diversity: racial/ethnic minorities)
- Named to the inaugural Nation’s Best List, published by Lawyers of Color. She was honored at a reception in Dallas on June 19, 2019.
- Chambers & Partners USA 2017 Women in Law Future Leader – Gender Diversity award winner in the private practice category.
- Member of the U.S. Senate Task Force on Hispanic Affairs Meeting on June 5, 2018. Elements of the meeting included a presentation by U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta, a focus on the SUCCEED Act and DACA, a presentation on trade and NAFTA, SMART Student Health and Wellness, Puerto Rico, tax reform and community engagement. Diaz-Yaeger was appointed to the task force advisory committee in 2017.
Lugenbuhl Shareholder Tyler Arbour
- Board member of Project Lazarus (2015-2021) and has been an active volunteer since 2010. Project Lazarus provides housing and assistance to those living with HIV-AIDS in the Greater New Orleans area.
- Recipient of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) Citizen Lawyer Award (2020). Presented to Arbour for his continued work in support of Project Lazarus and Lambda Legal, both in the assistance of those living with HIV/AIDS and fighting for the civil rights of the LGBT community.
Lugenbuhl Attorney Lauren McKnight
- A former board member and active member of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society (GNO Martinet), an organization dedicated to promoting, serving, and assisting African American lawyers in this community.
- Through her work with the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society (GNO Martinet), McKnight collaborated with Judge Johnson to develop a local program patterned on the National Bar Association program to address the “pipeline to prison” that plagues many minority communities.
- 2009-2010 LSBA Leadership Class They developed a program and brochure called “Coming of Age-Knowing Your Rights” designed to educate inner-city graduating high school students of their rights.
Lugenbuhl Attorney Adelaida (Adi) Ferchmin
- A Past-President of the of the New Orleans Chapter of the Women’s International Shipping and Trade Association (WISTA), Adelaida has been an active member since 2006. Growing up in Puerta Rico, Ferchmin is fluent in several languages, including English, Spanish, Polish, and Croatian.
