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. Past issues of the Digest are also 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. 

This week, in news related to diversity and inclusion...

1. The Best States for Women in America, in 11 Maps and Charts

The Washington Post, 5/20/15

Gender inequities persist across the country, in everything from political participation to work-life balance to health and safety. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research graded states on seven topics in an attempt to quantify the best (and worst) states for women. At the top of the list are Minnesota, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut; at the bottom, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. 

2. Harvard Aims to Take On Gender Bias with New Initiative

The Boston Globe, 5/9/15

Harvard Business School hopes to create a scholarly community to spur the advancement of women through its Gender Initiative, launched this week. Researchers hope to find more empirical evidence in order to understand why women are less likely to advance into leadership roles, ultimately giving women and their employers the tools they need to advance. Women currently make up only 4.6 percent of CEOs in the S&P 500. 

3. 2015 Best Companies for Multicultural Women

Working Mother, 5/19/15

Each year Working Mother magazine identifies the companies that have the strongest networks and programs to promote women of color. The following LCLD Member corporations were on the list:

• Darden Restaurants, Inc
• Freddie Mac
• General Mills, Inc.
• IBM Corporation
• The Procter & Gamble Company
• Prudential Financial, Inc.
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

4. Law Schools: This is the Moment – For Clinics

The National Law Journal, 5/18/15

In the last five years, many law schools have created clinics to provide students with more practical experience – similar to the years of hands-on training received by medical students. The National Law Journal identified several clinics notable for their longevity or unique focus; examples include the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic at the University of Virginia School of Law, the University of Chicago Law School’s Civil Rights and Police Accountability Project, and Brooklyn Law School’s Securities Arbitration Clinic. 

5. Lawyers with Lowest Pay Report More Happiness

The New York Times, 5/12/15

Success in the legal field has little correlation with happiness and well being, according to a recent study. Lawyers with the highest incomes and the most success at their firms reported much lower levels of happiness than the lowest-paid lawyers working in public service. One researcher suggested that the most prestigious jobs often do not provide feelings of competence, autonomy, or connection to others.