ALICIA VAZ
Partner; Chief DEI Officer
Cox, Castle & Nicholson
Alicia Vaz, who specializes in real estate and high-stakes business litigation and dispute resolution and is co-chair of Cox Castle’s litigation team, also serves the community at large as a true champion of diversity. In addition to being a member of Cox Castle’s Management Committee, she is also the firm’s chief DEI officer and chair of the DEI Committee. For years, Vaz has played a key role in championing Cox Castle’s efforts to increase diversity within the firm and in the legal community at large.
Under Vaz’s guidance, Cox Castle has increased overall awareness of DEI issues within the firm to create a positive work environment that encourages awareness and understanding of diverse voices and why they are important. This includes providing training and tools to build awareness and understanding within the firm such as a DEI speaker series and DEI Challenges.
Vaz was influential in Cox Castle’s decision to participate in Diversity Lab’s Midsize Mansfield Rule certification process, the goal of which is to increase the representation of diverse lawyers in law firms and their leadership. DEI is a top priority for Cox Castle and under Vaz’s tutelage, Cox Castle achieved Midsize Mansfield Certification Plus status, which signifies that in addition to successfully meeting the consideration and transparency requirements, Cox Castle has met the goal of at least 30% representation of historically underrepresented lawyers in current leadership roles.
Vaz also helped Cox Castle establish an endowment at UCLA to award tuition and aid to incoming students who demonstrate significant financial need and have confronted considerable obstacles in life such as socio-economic disadvantage, disability, being the first in their family to attend college, attending under-resourced schools, or other extensive hardships or challenges.
