Florida's homegrown Greenberg Traurig is on a preferred list of global law firms meeting Novartis AG's strict staffing requirements designed to create a more diverse legal profession.

This is the third iteration of the Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company's preferred panel based on diversity and inclusion efforts.

The other firms are: Alston & Bird; Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer; Bird & Bird; Brinks Gilson Lione; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; Goodwin Procter; Hogan Lovells; Kirkland & Ellis; Latham & Watkins; Linklaters; Mayer Brown; Morgan, Lewis & Bockius; Morrison & Foerster; Munger, Tolles & Olson; O'Melveny & Myers; Sullivan & Cromwell; Troutman Sanders; Williams & Connolly; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr; and Womble Bond Dickinson.

The 22 firms have committed to having no less than 30% of billable associate time and 20% of partner time "provided by females, racially/ethnically diverse professionals or members of the LGBTQ+ community. If a firm does not hold up to that staffing commitment for a particular matter, Novartis will withhold 15% of the total amount billed over the 'life of that specific matter.' "

Shannon Thyme Klinger, group general counsel at Novartis, said in an email interview that the participating firms " see this initiative as a catalyst to drive further positive change within their own organizations."

Lori Cohen, vice chair of Greenberg Traurig in Atlanta, said the firm is honored to be a part of the panel.

"We believe Novartis' 3.0 will have a significant, lasting impact on the legal profession, and we applaud Shannon Klinger and Novartis leadership for this visionary, groundbreaking program," Cohen said.

Saul Morgenstern, a partner at Arnold & Porter in New York, said Klinger has taken Novartis' commitment to diversity and inclusion to a new level. He said his firm has been helping train diverse associates for years to prepare them for partner promotions.

"When Shannon's newest version of the program came across the wires, we were pleased because it dovetails nicely with our firm's culture and our firm's ethics," Morgenstern said.

He said Arnold & Porter often meets or exceeds the diversity requirements set out by Novartis and other clients.

Mary Ellen Connerty, director of diversity and engagement at O'Melveny & Myers in New York, said in an email that clients like Novartis help drive change for the better.

They "play a powerful role in driving law firms to become more diverse and inclusive. Like Novartis, we know that diverse and inclusive teams do the best work for our clients and are essential to our firm's future," Connerty said.

She said O'Melveny also uses artificial intelligence tools including Pymetrics to eliminate implicit bias in hiring.

Other firms on the panel said the preferred firm program will help move the needle forward on diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

The Novartis program "aligns with our collaboration with the Move the Needle Fund, recognition as a 'Mansfield Certified Plus' firm by Diversity Lab and our deep commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive legal profession," Elizabeth Holland, a senior partner in Goodwin's intellectual property litigation group in New York, said in a statement.

Alice Valder Curran, head of Hogan Lovells' global regulatory practice group in Washington, said the company's staffing requirements "are aligned with our own strategy to provide better client experiences through diverse and inclusive teams."

The legal department at Novartis will track the metrics of ongoing matters. Klinger explained the technology will alert the legal department and law firms if hours billed by diverse partners and associates "fall below agreed commitments."

Klinger said the preferred panel program will be evaluated on a continuous basis, and "where gaps are identified, new firms will be added."

Novartis' latest panel has more firms. Klinger said the company previously had a preferred panel of 10 generalist firms. The firms on the new panel "serve in specific legal verticals."