Diversity & Inclusion 2024: Jane Arnold

Co-chair of the Business Department, Polsinelli

Jane Arnold has built a successful career around a sophisticated transactional practice that displays a deep understanding of the health care industry.

But her understanding goes beyond co-chairing the firm’s Business Department. She also chaired its Women’s Empowerment Committee from 2015-2023.

“During this time, she has implemented several key initiatives to support career advancement, create mentoring programs, and champion diversity and inclusion,” notes Polsinelli’s website.

In fact, the committee has worked hard to rack up accomplishments over the years. In 2015, it developed a PATHS TO SUCCESS initiative which aimed to build relationships and facilitate mentoring opportunities among female attorneys in the organization. On a semi-annual basis, women lawyers are matched with female equity shareholders to exchange experiences and insights that might help define the best career journey for them.

Five years later, the committee premiered a Women’s Retreat with a platform for attorneys to address significant issues impacting women at various stages of their career development.

“During these annual retreats,” notes the website, “we collaborate to devise actionable strategies aimed at advancing opportunities for women within Polsinelli and throughout the legal sector.”

Arnold has garnered personal accolades as well. In 2022, she was honored by Missouri Lawyers Weekly with a Women’s Justice Award, the same year that she’d be named a member of the St. Louis International Women’s Forum.

In other instances, Arnold has been recognized among distinguished alumni by the Washington University School of Law and a Leaders of Distinction honoree by YWCA Metro St. Louis.

Arnold has been involved in numerous area institutions including Friends of KWMU, the Regional Business Council of St. Louis, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University.

As a firm, Polsinelli has achieved Mansfield Rule Certification and has been named a “Top Performer” for 2023 by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Nearly half the firm’s attorneys qualify as diverse and 36 percent are women including one-third of department, division and practice group chairs.