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. A ‘Vibrant’ Diversity Champion, Bob Bostrom Influenced Both In-House and Big Law Worlds

Friends and colleagues remember Bob Bostrom, former LCLD Member at Abercrombie & Fitch, who passed away last week. “In all his positions, Bob continued to support and participate in diverse law communities and engage in outreach,” said Veta Richardson, CEO of the ACC. “He was someone who influenced positively all the organizations that were fortunate to have him.”  Corporate Counsel 

2. ‘A Leader Must Be Fearless’: A Conversation with Ben Wilson

• “I learned from the example of the Freedom Riders, Medgar Evers and James Meredith who risked their lives to challenge segregation, that a leader must be fearless,” said Ben Wilson, LCLD Board Member and Chairman of Beveridge & Diamond. “I resolved that if they could lead in life-threatening circumstances, surely I could lead a law firm.”  Law.com
• In a separate article, Ben discussed his work with the African American Managing Partners Network, which he helped found, saying: “We have power and we have strength and I hope we will use it to help each other.”  The National Law Journal 

3. Law Firms Are Failing Work-Life Balance in the March for Gender Equality, Ginsburg Says 

“If you’re a lawyer, you have the entire law library at your fingertips wherever you are. But firms have not yet been sufficiently accommodating,” said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a conversation on gender discrimination and work-life balance.  The National Law Journal 

4. Hedge Funds Not Led by White Men Outperform Peers Nearly 2-to-1  

An analysis of hedge fund data found that those managed by a minority or female leader had a return of about 6.6%, compared to about 3.9% for their peers.  Bloomberg

4. A Record Number of Fortune 500 Companies Now Protect Trans Employees 

“As of 2019, 91% of Fortune 500 companies have explicit gender identity nondiscrimination protections in their company policies, up a staggering 88% from the Human Rights Campaign’s first Corporate Equality Index survey in 2002.”  NewNowNext

5. Chief Legal Officers and Leadership: The Importance of Leadership Skills for Lawyers 

Data from Deloitte “shows that in-house lawyers score above average on overall leadership effectiveness, but lower than average on employee engagement” when compared to other industries.  Deloitte 

6. NFL Owners Have a Problem with Coaches of Color 

A deep dive into the experiences of minority football coaches has important parallels for the corporate world. “Even when black coaches follow what appears to be an established blueprint to a head-coaching position, they aren’t guaranteed to be held in the same regard as their white counterparts,” writes journalist Jemele Hill.  The Atlantic