R. Matt Cairns, Associate General Counsel at Textron in Providence, Rhode Island, received Textron’s 2023 Legal Enterprise Diversity and Inclusion Advocate Award.
Since arriving at Textron five years ago, Matt has made it a mission of his to increase the diversity of Textron’s outside legal teams. This passion is born out of participation in and leading national legal organizations that advocate for and demonstrate the benefits of diversity and inclusion where he continues to serve as a corporate member of diversity committees and mentors young diverse attorneys. Matt demands that every new matter he assigns be staffed with a team that brings with them the diverse backgrounds and perspectives needed to meet Textron’s toughest challenges in and out of the courtroom. If a firm can’t or won’t provide that, Matt goes out and looks for firms that can truly be partners in the courtroom and conference room.
Matt has been an IADC member since 2002.