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, articles you'd like to share, of if you would like to subscribe, please email Communications Specialist Caitlin Puffenberger at cpuffenberger@lcldnet.com. 

1. Fellows Alumni Honored with 2018 Rick Palmore Award 

LCLD Communications, 7/5/18

Merisa Heu-Weller, 2016 Fellow and Counsel, Global Employment Strategy and Public Policy, at Microsoft, and Kassem Lucas, 2011 Fellow and Partner at Pepper Hamilton, were honored for their work promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and advancing LCLD’s mission. 

2. Six New Ideas from the Diversity in Law Hackathon 

Big Law Business, 6/22/18

Winning concepts from Diversity Lab’s most recent hackathon include a diversity and inclusion data dashboard, an employee feedback app, and an inclusion app that informs and measures participants on topics like unconscious bias. 
Click here to see how LCLD Members participated. 

3. 2018 Most Influential Black Lawyers 

Savoy Magazine, June 2018

Forty-eight of the most influential black lawyers in the country are members of the LCLD community. See the full list here. 

4. 2019 Best Law Firms to Work For

Vault, June 2018 

Seven of the top 10 firms on Vault’s “Best Law Firms to Work For” list are LCLD Member organizations. Member firms also held first place in 13 specialty categories, including Best Firm Culture and Best Informal Training, Mentorship, and Sponsorship. 

5. For Diversity in the Workplace, Measurement Matters

The Huffington Post, 6/26/18

Sodexo executives are recognizing the value of measuring diversity, as results of a recent study on gender and team performance showed that gender-balanced management teams reported 14 percent higher employee engagement, and gender-balanced business entities had 9 percent higher client retention rates. 

6. Women Benefit When They Downplay Gender

Harvard Business Review, July 2018 

A recent set of studies found that women who focus on gender similarities have greater power and confidence than women who focus on women’s distinctive qualities. But the studies’ author says women need to be careful applying these results: “Gender blindness doesn’t mean that women should act more like men; it diminishes the idea that certain qualities are associated with men and women.”