Rising Star group photo (2019)
State Farm is a company committed to in-
creasing diversity in the legal profession by
providing meaningful opportunities for diverse
attorneys to compete for and obtain the best client work. The company recognizes that the
success of diverse attorneys attracts others into the profession and thus, the legal community
ultimately becomes more representative of the population it serves. To that end, State Farm
created the Rising Star Academy to expose in-
vitation-only participants to State Farm’s culture, history and key business and legal leadership.
Les Boswell, Counsel at State Farm, explains
that the inaugural Rising Star Academy was held in October at the company’s corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois, for thirteen diverse lawyers from across the country from a 76
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variety of practice groups. “We selected the Rising Star Academy participants from individuals we met at diverse bar association events such as MCCA or NAPABA (National Pacific Asian American Bar Association) and NAMWOLF (National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms) firms we have engaged. We chose attendees who are diverse, in terms of gender, sexual orientation, disability, or race or who are a member of a minority-owned law firm. Possible attendees were suggested by our D&I Law Firm Diversity sub-committee members and Law Department leadership,” Les says. He says their committee identified people who they felt had great communication and networking skills and could be strategic thought