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PERCEPTION IS REALITY: IDENTIFYING THE
HIDDEN DANGERS OF BIAS IN OUR PROFESSION
T
he issue of bias is not a
new concept, but the
issue of implicit (or
unconscious) bias is a hot
topic these days. From
national news stories of discontent and
demands for change to a recent series of
news articles claiming to “expose” racial
bias in the Florida criminal court
system, we are almost daily required to
reflect on the impact that implicit bias
may have on one’s behavior.
Thus, the Hillsborough County Bar
Association and its Bench Bar
Committee chair, Judge Samantha Ward,
are proud to announce the theme for the
21st Annual Bench Bar Conference — “Perception is
Reality: Identifying the Hidden Dangers of Bias in our
Profession.” The primary purpose of this year’s conference
will be to explore how implicit bias can manifest itself inside
and outside the courtroom. Bias can affect a lawyer’s
representation of the client, or a judge’s or juror’s decisions
about the party on trial or the credibility of witnesses.
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It can influence how a deal is negotiated
and whether it closes; whether a client
wins his or her civil suit; and how a
criminal case is prosecuted or defended.
Because these decisions have far-reaching
effects, it is critical that we understand
these factors at play as we participate in
our system of justice.
We will start out the morning
breakfast session with a plenary session
on implicit bias by German A. Gomez,
assistant general counsel at Hogan
Lovells, US LLC in Washington D.C.
Before joining Hogan Lovells, Gomez
was employed at the U.S. Department of
Justice, where he was a member of the
Diversity Committee. He frequently lectures on bias and
diversity topics.
Following the opening session, we will hear the ever-
popular review of the U.S. Supreme Court’s activities and
a preview of the term to come, by Professor Louis Virelli
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