Why Pledge
A Word from Robert Grey
The window of opportunity is open.
Recent events in the United States have placed LCLD’s core mission—diversity and inclusion—front and center in the national conversation.
This moment has shown that there is broad consensus in this country over issues of racial justice: An overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens believe that fairness and equality are fundamental American values that everyone has a right to expect.
There is an urgency to these issues that has been a long time coming.
We believe that this gives the leaders of the legal profession a historic opportunity to create real and lasting change, both within your organizations and in society at large.
We're asking you to use your voice for change.
Leaders at the Front is a movement that we hope captures that urgency and opportunity. In 2020, we asked each of our Members to step forward and craft a personal, public statement—a Leader’s Pledge—to build a more perfect union by moving diversity to the front burner of their organizations. Many LCLD Members began to put together their action plans, translating their personal commitment to diversity into organizational changes that were specific, meaningful, and measurable.
But it quickly became apparent that we needed more—so in 2021, LCLD Board Chair Ellen Dwyer announced that the Leader's Pledge would become a requirement of Membership in June of 2022. Our Members rose to the challenge, with more that 430 corporate and law firm leaders making public their personal and organizational commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
But the pledges are only the beginning. See what's next for Leaders at the Front here.