At Cox Castle, we believe our greatest asset is our people. Individuals with diverse backgrounds enrich our work environment, add value to the legal services we provide, enhance our culture and connect us to our clients and communities. We strive to create a positive work environment that encourages awareness and understanding of our differences so that we can cultivate and preserve a culture of inclusion. Through the efforts of all our people, we endeavor to cultivate an environment focused on equality, empowerment and respect, in service of our shared commitment to client service.
We strive to:
- Build an inclusive and welcoming culture that encourages, supports and celebrates our distinct voices
- Provide training and tools to build the skills and capacity to work together in an inclusive manner
- Recruit and retain a diverse workforce from varied backgrounds and life experiences
- Equitably advance individuals within the firm and its leadership
- Continuously grow and learn from each other
A Culture of Inclusion
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is deeply ingrained in the fabric of the firm. In 1987, Cox Castle became the first Top 50 Los Angeles County law firm to have a managing partner of Hispanic heritage, Mario Camara. Today, the firm’s leadership continues to prioritize achieving equity and inclusivity throughout the firm. In collaboration with the firm’s other committees, Cox Castle’s leadership promotes an environment where all team members can flourish.
Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee works closely with our management, professional development and recruiting committees to ensure that the firm’s policies, programs and recruiting efforts create a welcoming and inclusive workplace. The firm also has numerous affinity groups to bring together individuals who share a common interest or purpose to provide mentorship and a supportive environment to share those commonalities. Members of the firm also participate actively and through sponsorship in numerous external charities, events and programs, dedicated to cultivating inclusive and equitable cultures in the legal profession.
Cox Castle has achieved certification in the Diversity Lab’s Midsize Mansfield Rule. As explained by Diversity Lab, the “overall goal of the Midsize Mansfield Rule is to increase the representation of diverse lawyers in leadership by broadening the pool of women, LGBTQ+ lawyers, lawyers with disabilities and/or racial/ethnic minority lawyers who are considered for entry-level and lateral attorney job openings, leadership opportunities, equity partner promotions and opportunities to connect with clients.”
Scholarships and Legal Pipeline Programs
In addition to our internal efforts, Cox Castle promotes efforts to build a pipeline of future lawyers from different backgrounds, particularly those that have overcome significant adversity.
Over a decade ago, Cox Castle was instrumental in establishing the Diversity Scholarship program of California ChangeLawyers (formerly California Bar Foundation), a statewide foundation that works to empower the next generation of diverse lawyers, judges and activists. In addition to our own 1L Diversity Scholars Program, Cox Castle annually sponsors a Diversity Scholarship through California ChangeLawyers for first-year law students and actively mentors its scholarship recipients through law school and beyond.
By honoring these future lawyers and the potential transformative changes they represent, Cox Castle invests not just in each individual law student, but also in the profession’s ability to build a better justice system for all Californians. Corin Korenaga currently serves on the ChangeLawyers Board.
In 2017, Cox Castle launched the Phillip R. Nicholson Memorial Scholarship Fund for Real Estate Excellence at USC Gould School of Law. The fund awards annual scholarships to second- and third-year USC law students who have a strong interest in pursuing a career in real estate law, with specific consideration given to those who are the first in their families to attend college or law school.
In 2020, Cox Castle created the Cox Castle & Nicholson LLP Endowed Scholarship in Law at UCLA, which awards scholarships to incoming law students who demonstrate significant financial need and have confronted considerable obstacles in life, such as socio-economic disadvantages, disability, being the first in their family to attend college, attending under-resourced schools or other notable hardships or challenges.
