The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce has announced that Parker Poe is the recipient of the 2008 Innovation in Diversity Award. The annual award, first of its kind for the Chamber, is given to the company that best exemplifies new and inspiring initiatives aimed at retaining, mentoring and developing minority and women employees.

The Chamber noted many of the firm’s specific diversity initiatives, which were developed to support minority candidates seeking to enter the legal profession. Some of these efforts include:

• Recent appointment of our Director of Professional Development and Diversity
• Johnson C. Smith University Annual Scholarship
• Law Firm Life: An Overview for Minority Law Students
• Participation and leadership in the Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship program

The Chamber presents its series of Innovation Awards to recognize businesses and individuals in the Charlotte area that go outside the box to embrace new technology, products, services and business models.  Still to be announced are the recipients of other Innovation Award categories including: Innovative Use or Deployment of Technology, Innovative New Product or Service, Innovative Marketing or Branding Campaign, and Innovative Green Product, Service or Process.

The Innovation Awards gala will be held at the Westin Charlotte Hotel on Tuesday evening, September 16.