Ann collaborates with firm leadership to identify strategies to achieve the firm's goals when it comes to hiring, retaining and advancing diverse attorneys and staff and supporting our client's diversity and inclusion efforts.
Overview
Ann oversees the implementation of the firm's Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, taking an innovative approach when it comes to addressing challenges within the firm and the profession relating to diversity and inclusion. Her two-pronged approach centers on individual responsibility—equipping people with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to create an inclusive environment—and eradicating the effects of bias through systems and process. She addresses structural bias by continuously evaluating the firm's policies, practices and norms and identifying unique methods to achieve desired outcomes.
When she noticed that diverse attorneys and law students were often foreclosing opportunities simply because they did not know the "unwritten rules" for success in the profession, Ann created Big Law Success: The Inside Scoop for Law Students and New Lawyers, a five-part podcast that demystifies how to thrive in big law. Ann also led a multi-stop roadshow to law schools in order to educate diverse law students on the importance of a strong personal brand, and has worked with several organizations on diversifying the law school pipeline.
Among numerous publications and presentations throughout her career, Ann penned the Amazon best seller, The Happy Law Practice: Expert Strategies to Build Business and Maintain Peace of Mind. Prior to joining Stinson, Ann was a diversity and inclusion consultant, an attorney at an Am Law 100 firm, a judicial clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and a legislative attorney for the New York City Council. She was also president and CEO of a nonprofit organization.
Experience
Under Ann's leadership, Stinson has achieved a number of successes since she joined the firm in November 2016, including:
- A 120 percent increase in attorneys of color.
- The creation of eight employee resource groups to foster greater inclusion, professional development, and business development among women, people of color, LGBT individuals and veterans.
- The launch of a Minority Fellowship for 1L students that provides up to $30,000 in tuition assistance in addition to a 1L summer associate position with the possibility for a 2L summer associate position.
Receiving several prestigious awards, including the Gold Standard Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for 10 years in a row, the Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality for 4 years in a row, Best Law Firms for Women for 2 years in a row; and the 2018 Missouri Lawyers Media's Inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Award (Stinson was the only law firm to be recognized with the honor).
News & Insights
News
Speaking Engagements
Panelist, "Understanding and Eliminating Bias," Colorado Chapter of Association for Corporate Counsel (ACC), November 2, 2023
"Providing Effective Feedback, Especially Across Differences", Stinson LLP staff and attorneys, November 2020
Panelist "COVID and the Caregiving Crisis", MSBA/RCBA/HCBA webinar, November 2020
Panelist, "Intersectional Feminism in Practice", University of Minnesota webinar, November 2020
"Allyship - The Key to Unlocking the Power of Diversity" Forging a Brighter Future, Thomson Reuters webinar, November 2020
"An Introduction to the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, with guest speaker Academy-Award Winning Screenwriter Kevin Willmott", October 2020
Panelist, "Diversity Trailblazers", Mid-America Association of Corporate Council (ACC) webinar, October 2020
"The Parallels Between Bias and Lawyer Well-Being", Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) Lawyer Wellbeing Summit, October 2020
Panelist, "Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Considerations as the Legal Industry Returns to the Office", Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA) Webinar, September 2020
Panelist, ACC Colorado and Stinson LLP Diversity Trailblazers Webinar, September 2020
Panelist, "Fireside Chat: Reflecting on the George Floyd Murder and Discussions on Racial and Social Equity" Affinity Bar/Leadership Forum, September 2020
"Understanding and Eliminating Racial Bias in the Legal Profession" Kansas Association of Legal Assistants/Paralegals, September 2020
Panelist, "Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace During Times of Civil Unrest", American Bar Association (ABA) CLE webinar, August 2020
"Grit + Growth Mindset: Women Advancing in Post-COVID-19 World", Colorado Bankers Association's CBA webinar series: Women in Banking, August 2020
"Effecting Cultural Change Within an Organization: Strategies, Practice Tips, and Common Principles", 2020 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, August 2020
Panelist, "The Future of Gender Equity": The 19th Amendment Panel, Stinson LLP, August 2020
"Doubling Down on Diversity", Center of Legal Inclusiveness (CLA) Virtual Summit, August 2020
Panelist, "Effecting Cultural Change Within an Organization: Strategies, Practice Tips, and Common Principles", 2020 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, July 2020
"From Bystander to Upstander: Active Allyship for Marginalized Attorneys", Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) Summit, July 2020
Diversity and Inclusion panel discussion, Minneapolis Rotary Club, July 2020
Racial Trauma and Anti-Racism firm-wide training, Stinson LLP staff and attorneys, June 2020
Panelist, "Next and Best Practices on Advancing and Retaining Diverse In-house Lawyers", Minnesota Association of Corporate Counsel (MACC), June 2020
Diversity and Inclusion presentation, Stinson LLP paralegals, June 2020
"Leveraging a Growth Mindset in a Post-COVID-19 World", Stinson LLP R.I.S.E. Women's Business Development group, May 2020
Panelist, "Overcoming Implicit Bias: A Guide for In-House Counsel", May 2020
Panelist, 2020 Business Law Update, May 2020
Panelist, "Beyond Minnesota Nice: The Realities of Finding Community in the Bold North," Minnesota State Bar Association, April 2019
Panelist, "It Takes a Village: Identifying a Personal Board of Directors and Getting the Most Out of a Mentoring Relationship," Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys Conference (LIWOCA), March 2019
Panelist for Women in Innovation & Technology Symposium (WIT), Washington university in St. Louis, February 2019
Panelist, "Where Are You Really From: Micro-Aggressions in the Workplace," February 2019
"Disrupting Structural Barriers Impeding the Advancement of Attorneys of Color," Forum for Workplace Inclusion, April 2019
"Beyond Minnesota Nice: The Realities of Finding Community in the Bold North," MSBA D&I Conference, April 2019
"Disrupting Systemic Bias," US Bank CDC's Equality Summit, March 2019
"It Takes a Village: Identifying a Personal Board of Directors and Getting the Most Out of a Mentoring Relationship," Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys, March 2019
"Where are You Really from: Micro-aggressions in the Workplace," Washington University School of Law, February 2019
"How to Talk to Investors," Women in Technology Symposium, February 2019
"View of Law Firm Life," Stinson, January 2019
"The Thriving Workplace," VAA, November 2018
"Creating a Strong Personal Brand for Diverse Law Students," Kansas University Law School and Iowa School of Law, October 2018
"Disrupting Bias in the Workplace," Compass Minerals, October 2018
"The Thriving Workplace: Strategies to Create and Sustain Diversity and Inclusion, National Native American Human Resource Association Annual Conference, September 2018
"The Art of Self-Promotion for Diverse Lawyers, Stinson ERGs, September-October 2018
"Cultivating your Personal Brand," Dream Builders for Equity, July 2018
"Leveraging Your Best Self," UC Hastings Leadership Academy, July 2018
"Preparing Your Law Firm for the Future," Thomson Reuters Webinar, May 2018
"Tools and Strategies for Implementing Equity and Diversity in Practice," Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc.'s Gender Equity Series, March 7, 2018
"The Business of EDI: A Conversation About Diverse Paths to Equity," American Institute of Architects, Minneapolis, MN November 16, 2017
"Retaining Diverse Attorneys," Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Minneapolis, MN, November 16, 2017
"Creating a Strong Personal Brand for Success," University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, MN, November 15, 2017
"Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Legal Profession," 2017 Nebraska Legal Diversity Summit, Omaha, Neb., Sept. 7, 2017
"Envisioning and Achieving Success: Action Plan," UC Hastings Leadership Academy for Women, San Francisco, CA, July 20, 2017
"Envisioning and Achieving Success: Goal Setting," UC Hastings Leadership Academy for Women, San Francisco, CA, July 19, 2017
"Diversity and Inclusion," 23rd Annual MNCPA Management & Business Advisers Conference, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN, Tuesday, June 20, 2017
"The Thriving Work Place: Strategies to Create and Sustain Diversity and Inclusion," Connecticut Legal Conference Presented by Connecticut Bar Association, Hartford, Connecticut, June 12, 2017
"Cross-Generational Collaboration to Conquer Implicit Bias," ABA National Conference, Miami, FL, February 3, 2017
"Eye-Opening Tactics for Better Diversity Recruiting," Stinson Leonard Street LLP, Minneapolis, MN May 17, 2017
"Inclusive Leadership," Capital One/Delta Concepts Consulting (Wilmington, DE – October 2016, Richmond, VA, November 2016
"Unconscious Bias," Southern Company Gas/Delta Concepts Consulting, Houston, TX, October 2016
"Creating Goals That Work" UC Hasting's WorkLife Law, Women's Leadership Academy, San Francisco, CA, July 2016
Publications
"Case Study: Stinson Leonard's Street's Tactics for Almost Doubling Representation of Lawyers of Color in 2 Years," Legal Executive Institute, February 2019
"Mastering the Art of Self-Promotion for Lawyers of Color," Legal Executive Institute, May, 2018
"From Staten Island To The Midwest, Stinson’s Chief D&I Officer Ann Jenrette-Thomas’s Journey To Improve Diversity In The Legal Profession," Above the Law, May 2018
"4 Laws of Personal Branding," NALP Bulletin, April 2016
"Workforce 2025: #Diversity(R)Evolution Working Mother Media," Diversity Best Practices, February 2016
"Using Social Media to Find a Job in the Legal Profession," DSBA Bar Journal, pg. 27, May 2015
"Personal Branding: I ROCK, Do You?," DSBA Bar Journal, pg.27, April 2015
"Set SMARRT Goals," DSBA Bar Journal, pg. 15, March 2015
"Smashing the Inner Glass Ceiling," American Bar Association, July 2014
The Happy Law Practice: Expert Strategies for Building Business While Maintaining Peace of Mind, compiling editor and contributing author, February 2014
25 Brilliant Business Mentors, contributing author, November 2013
"The Power of Partnership," American Society of Association Executives, 2009
"Five Strategies to Enhance Your Fundraising," Nonprofit World Magazine, Vol 27, No. 2 (co-authored with Sarah H. B. Kahl), May 2009
Recognitions
Recognitions
DiversityGlobal Champion of Diversity, 2021
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals
Admissions
- New York, 2004
- District of Columbia, 2007
Education
Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., 2007
Western New England School of Law, J.D., 2002
University of Albany at SUNY, B.A., 1997
Clerkships
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
