Compiled for LCLD Members and the 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, or if you would like to subscribe, please email Communications Manager Caitlin Puffenberger at cpuffenberger@lcldnet.com.
1. Why Women and People of Color in Law Still Hear “You Don’t Look Like a Lawyer”
“The legal profession needs to keep asking itself why black partners are so rare and what needs to change, at both the individual and industry levels,” writes sociologist and author Tsedale Melaku. Harvard Business Review
2. Tech General Counsel Talk Innovation, Regulation, and Diversity
Dev Stahlkopf, LCLD Member and General Counsel at Microsoft, spoke about some of the major issues facing lawyers in the tech industry, including diversity and artificial intelligence. Corporate Counsel
3. The White-Male Mentorship Premium
According to new research, sponsorship does work—employees who have a white male advocate often end up with higher pay. The catch? Most of the employees who benefit are white men. Bloomberg
4. ‘We Have to Act Courageously’: A Conversation With Law Firm Chief Diversity Executives
Diversity leaders from LCLD Member firms DLA Piper, Holland & Knight, Locke Lord, and Seyfarth Shaw discuss the current state of law firm diversity—and their desired future. The American Lawyer
5. Kilpatrick is Latest Firm to Offer Preferred Pronouns for Lawyer Bios
2014 Fellow Yendelela Neely Holston, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Kilpatrick Townsend, led the firm to add a preferred pronoun option to lawyer bios to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. Daily Report
6. Diversity in the Legal Field Means Inclusion of Lawyers with Disabilities
Lawyers with disabilities develop a specific, critical skill set “by having to forge unique careers in the face of discrimination,” writes Gary Norman, Chair of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. American Constitution Society
7. Using Algorithms to Understand the Biases in Your Organization
“Anthropomorphizing algorithms shifts blame to the tool, ultimately relieving the actual decision makers of their accountability,” writes professor Jennifer Logg. In her view, algorithms merely serve as “magnifying glasses” to identify potential biases and help leaders to address them. “Data can provide insights, but people are responsible for the decisions made based on them.” Harvard Business Review
