Where Everyone Can Thrive: Our Commitment to D&I

At Epena Law, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all of our team members can thrive. We believe that a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives strengthens our ability to serve our clients and communities.

Our Commitment to Gender Diversity and Equality

Women make up a significant portion of our workforce, including at senior levels. We provide robust parental leave and benefits to support our team members balancing work and family responsibilities. We actively invest in development programs aimed at advancing women’s careers, including networking circles, mentoring opportunities, and leadership training.

Supporting Career Growth and Flexibility

We support our team members in growing their careers in ways that work for them. We provide training, mentorship, and sponsorship programs to help individuals identify and seize opportunities aligned with their professional goals. We also offer flexible schedules and remote work arrangements so our people can integrate work with other aspects of their lives.

Recruiting Diverse Talent

Our recruitment strategy aims to attract diverse talent that reflects the communities and clients we serve. We focus our campus recruiting at institutions serving historically underrepresented groups. We also aim to reduce bias in our hiring practices through inclusive job descriptions, diverse interview panels, and structured interviews.

Fostering an Inclusive Culture

We continuously explore ways to make our firm more inclusive. Our inclusion networks connect team members with shared backgrounds and experiences. We offer training on mitigating unconscious bias. We encourage open dialogue and regularly solicit input to ensure all team members feel welcomed, valued, and able to contribute meaningfully.

 Supporting Underrepresented Entrepreneurs

Through our Start-up Clinic program, we provide pro bono legal counsel to entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds looking to launch and fund growth-oriented companies. For example, we recently hosted a session for Cameroonian entrepreneurs focused on entity structures, due diligence, and raising capital through instruments like SAFEs and convertible notes. Our goal is to expand access to legal resources for diverse founders with promising business ideas.

We know that diversity and inclusion is an ongoing process. We are committed to listening, learning, and improving so that we can provide the best possible experience for our team members and clients.