Cummins GC to Firms: Treat Diverse Lawyers Well or I’ll Steal Them

When Sharon Barner took over the Cummins legal department in early 2012, she nearly doubled its size, from 26 to 56 attorneys. Barner also cut the number of outside law firms retained by the company from 150 to 22.

Throughout both processes, the hiring and the firing, she prioritized diversity: She hired a large number of minorities and women, and began requiring that law firms show, with concrete information, that they shared Cummins’ diversity values.

Since Barner’s arrival, the legal department has increased from less than 50 percent to 67 percent minorities and women. In dealings with outside law firms, the number of minority leadership ...