Jay Ramsey Awarded 2025 Dianne Baquet Smith Award
We are proud to recognize Jay Ramsey as the recipient of this year’s Dianne Baquet Smith Award. This annual award honors firm partners for their outstanding commitment to and leadership in fostering and promoting inclusion and diversity at the firm and within the broader legal community.
Jay is a dedicated leader at Sheppard Mullin. He is an experienced litigator, handling business disputes pre-litigation, before trial, at trial and on appeal. He also co-leads the Consumer Class Action Defense industry team and is the Office Managing Partner of the 200+ employee Century City Office.
Jay has also been a steadfast leader in advancing inclusion and diversity at the firm, including as a long-time leader of Out at Sheppard (OAS), the firm’s affinity group for LGBTQ+ attorneys and allies. Jay focuses on creating an inclusive culture where LGBTQ+ attorneys and professional staff thrive. He has played a pivotal role in raising the group’s profile both internally and externally.
Beyond his work with OAS, Jay has demonstrated a deep commitment to the firm’s broader initiatives. In 2020, Jay was selected as the firm’s LCLD Fellow, serving as an ambassador and representative of the firm’s commitment to fostering inclusion and diversity. He has served on the firm’s D&I Committee and is currently a member of the Affinity Group Leader Committee, where he has been instrumental in shaping the structure and focus of its quarterly meetings.
“Jay exemplifies what it means to be a leader for inclusion and diversity,” said Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard Mullin. “His unwavering dedication and impactful contributions have significantly shaped our firm’s culture and commitment to these essential values. Please join me in thanking Jay for his many contributions to our firm and congratulating him on being the well-deserving recipient of this year’s Dianne Baquet Smith Award.”
“I am honored to receive the Dianne Baquet Smith Award,” added Jay. “It is a privilege to work alongside so many people dedicated to advancing inclusion and diversity at Sheppard Mullin. This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our teams and the firm’s dedication to creating a welcoming environment for all. I look forward to continuing this important work and helping to foster an inclusive culture where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
Jay’s contributions continue to shape our firm into a more inclusive and diverse environment, benefiting both our internal community and the broader legal community.
About the Award
The firm instituted the Dianne Banquet Smith Award in 2010 to honor one or more partners who provide leadership and make significant contributions within the firm and/or legal profession and whose accomplishments advance the firm’s values in the area of inclusion and diversity. In 2019, the award was named in honor of Dianne Baquet Smith who served as the Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee from 2005 to 2019, as an acknowledgement of her extraordinary work at the firm and in the larger legal industry.