Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession

It can be a challenge to keep apprised of all the diversity and inclusion efforts going on so we thought it time to update you on the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession (IILP) and its activities and efforts.

WHAT’S NEW

Stuart A. Alderoty to be Honored

IILP is pleased and proud to report that our Board Member, Stuart A. Alderoty, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel for HSBC North America Holdings, Inc., will be honored by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) with its 2013 Corporate Counsel Leadership Award. The award will be presented during AABANY’s Annual Dinner on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 in New York City. For more information about the event, please visit www.aabany.org.

WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON

Model Rules Initiative

IILP believes that among the many reasons why the legal profession pursues greater diversity and inclusion, the most important is that it is the right thing to do. With that in mind, on September 14, 2012, IILP Chair Marc Firestone and American Bar Association (ABA) Illinois State Delegate Robert A. Clifford, sent a letter to leaders of the ABA suggesting that the ABA amend its Model Rules of Professional Conduct to include a section under which efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the legal profession would become a matter of ethics and professional conduct. We believe that such an amendment would stimulate positive change for the legal profession. Disappointingly, the ABA does not agree, or perhaps just doesn’t understand this approach to diversity and inclusion. We’ve posted their long-awaited response on the IILP website. But, if you know IILP, you also know that we don’t make suggestions without putting some thought into them. Therefore, IILP is planning to move forward with “Plan B.” We’re in the process of assembling a team of young (and young-at-heart) lawyers who want to become experts in this area and who will be prepared to speak on the topic and lead local efforts. If you are interested in becoming part of this, please let us know: Sandra.Yamate@TheIILP.com.

Measure of Success

There’s just three weeks left to make sure that your opinion counts!

Tell us what YOU think the legal profession’s long- and short-term diversity and inclusion goals ought to be. What do YOU think different segments of the profession – law firms, corporate law departments, government agencies, and bar associations – could, should, and are doing to further those diversity and inclusion goals and objectives?

All individual answers are completely anonymous and will remain confidential. Please participate in the study and encourage your friends and colleagues to do so as well.

Click here to take survey
It will remain open until March 15, 2013.

Harvard Law School Negotiation and Mediation Clinic

IILP and the Harvard Law School Negotiation and Mediation Clinic have just completed Phase II of our joint research project studying how large law firms handle internal communication issues around sensitive topics such as perceptions of bias. The law firm that was selected to be the subject of Phase II’s study was so pleased with the substantive results of the law students’ research and the action items that came out of their work that they are underwriting the students’ travel so that they may make a presentation about their findings for the firm’s Chairperson and Executive Committee. Needless to say, the students are thrilled and everyone at IILP is delighted that this project has been able to generate useful and usable information for the firm. While we are working to report our findings from this research, we are also looking for firms that would like to be considered as the case studies for Phases III and IV.

IILP on the Road

IILP was pleased to participate in the Just the Beginning Conference in Chicago in September. Board Member Sharon E. Jones spoke on two panels during the conference.

In October, IILP joined in a panel presentation about diversity in the profession for the Association of Legal Administrators. Our thanks to Kyle Woodward and the other leaders in ALA for organizing such an interesting and lively discussion.

IILP was also honored to participate in the Practising Law Institute’s (PLI) 2013 Diversity and Inclusion in Law Practice Program. Our congratulations to conference co-chairs Lorraine McGowen and Anna L. Brown for developing and facilitating another thought-provoking series of sessions.

On February 25, 2013, IILP CEO Sandra Yamate served as the keynote speaker for Northwestern University Law School’s annual Heritage Month celebrations by the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. It was a well-attended event – no doubt due more to the free bento lunches provided than Sandra as a draw – and, as always when speaking to students, a great deal of fun.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

The State of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession

The 2012 “IILP Review: The State of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession,” your one-stop source for this and other information relevant to all types of diversity and inclusion in all facets and practice settings from all over the country is in production. This collection of the most current and cutting edge information about diversity and inclusion in the legal profession is a valuable tool for anyone working on diversity and inclusion issues and anyone interested in educating themselves or others about different facets of diversity and inclusion. Like last year, in conjunction with the release of the Review, we’ll also be presenting symposia around the country during which we’ll report on our findings and discuss current trends, new initiatives, and promising strategies. The symposia are planned for Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Dates and other details for the symposia will be announced shortly.

Our thanks to The Claro Group for their sponsorship of The State of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession.

WHAT’S COMING UP

State Bar of Texas

On February 28, 2013, IILP will be participating in the “Diversity Issues” program at the State Bar of Texas’ Hispanic Issues Section conference. This daylong event is bringing together some of the most energetic and interesting Hispanic lawyers in Texas and we’re excited to be a part of it.

State Bar of Wisconsin

IILP is honored to be invited to be part of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Young Lawyers Leadership Conference. The conference will take place on March 22, 2013 in Madison.

Defense Research Institute Diversity Alliance Summit

Our friends at the Defense Research Institute (DRI) are convening a summit of representatives from national diversity organizations and other organizations that work on diversity issues on March 26, 2013 in Chicago. IILP will be one of a number of organizations in attendance.

ABA Section of International Law

IILP will be part of a panel titled, “Diversity and Inclusion – A Business Necessity for Global Success” as part of the ABA Section of International Law’s Spring Meeting on April 23, 2013 in Washington, D.C. The program, which is being organized by Professor Cheryl Nichols of Howard Law School, will examine how today’s global marketplace makes diversity even more critical to business success.

ABA Section of Litigation

On April 25-26, 2013, as part of the ABA Section of Litigation’s Spring Conference, IILP will be presenting two programs. On April 25, IILP will be presenting, “The New Rules of the Game,” lead by Board Member Sharon E. Jones with panelists Ann Chen, Angie Frye and Martin Montes. On April 26, we’ll present, “The Business Case for Diversity: Reality or Wishful Thinking?” where Board Member John Mathias, Jr. will present an overview of the findings from IILP’s report of the same name followed by a panel discussion lead by E. Macey Russell and featuring Ilah Adkins, Dorian Denburg, Martin P. Greene, Gary Ropski, and Nate Saint-Victor. Our thanks to Conference Co-Chairs Eileen M. Letts and Mary Smith for giving IILP an opportunity to be part of the Section Annual Conference.

Illinois State Bar

IILP will be part of the Illinois State Bar Association’s diversity CLE program on May 13, 2013 in Chicago. We’ll be part of a session on “Achieving Diversity in Your Law Firm: Business Advantage and Best Practice.”

Industrial Strength Diversity and Inclusion

As mentioned in an earlier update, IILP is starting a new series of programs designed to look at diversity and inclusion efforts and strategies as they exist within industries. Among the industries that IILP will be examining are insurance, healthcare, defense contracting and aerospace, financial services, energy, food and beverages, and retail. As these programs get scheduled, we’ll announce them in future updates and post them on the IILP website at www.TheIILP.com.

There is quite a bit more coming from IILP in the next several months so be sure to let us know if your email address changes so that you can continue to be kept apprised of our activities.

Sandra S. Yamate

CEO

INSTITUTE FOR INCLUSION IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
321 S. Plymouth Court

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 628-5885

Mobile: (312) 375-8271

Sandra.Yamate@TheIILP.com

www.TheIILP.com