Compiled for the LCLD Board of Directors every Wednesday, this digest is designed to brief you on the latest headlines about LCLD Members and organizations, as well as thought-provoking articles on diversity in the legal profession, talent development, mentoring, and leadership. Starting in 2015, the Digest will be archived on the LCLD web site.

If you have questions about the Digest, or articles you’d like to share, please email Caitlin Puffenberger at cpuffenberger@lcldnet.com. 

1. Florida Joins the Wave on Same-Sex Marriage 

The New York Times, 1/6/15

Florida became the 36th state to allow same-sex couples to marry, meaning that more than 70 percent of Americans now live in jurisdictions that permit such unions. Click here for an interactive map showing which states allow same-sex unions and to what degree. 

2. Pope Names 15 New Cardinals Reflective of Diversity 

The New York Times, 1/4/15

Pope Francis named 15 new cardinals from 14 countries, many from the developing world, as part of an effort to diversify church hierarchy. This break with tradition reflects the pope’s desire to present the church as universal, rather than governed by European or economically strong countries. 

3. Racial Bias, Even When We Have Good Intentions 

The New York Times, 1/3/15

Harvard professor of economics Sendhil Mullainathan compiles decades of research on unconscious bias, stretching from the criminal justice system to eBay. “[T]his widespread discrimination is not necessarily a sign of widespread conscious prejudice,” he writes. “Our snap judgments rely on all the associations we have – from fictional television shows to news reports. They use stereotypes, both the accurate and the inaccurate, both those we would want to use and ones we find repulsive....”