H C B A
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leaders in all branches of government, the legal profession
must be as inclusive as the society it serves.
Diversity and in clusion also serve practical pur poses
for our profession. A demo graphically diverse law firm
that more accurately represents the general population
will have a broader reach for clientele. Diversity and
inclusion also generate innovation. Presenting ideas to a
diverse group of people will likely produce more
discussion, new perspectives, and different thinking than
presenting ideas to a homogenous group. Finally,
diversity and inclusion programs will help attract top
young talent. The majority of millennial women (86
percent) and millennial men (74 percent) consider
company policies on diversity and inclusion during their
job search. Attention to the millennial population is
critical because they now make up the largest generation
in the U.S. workforce. 3
True diversity and inclusion in the legal profession
requires more than checking off boxes. True diversity
and inclusion requires having people of diverse
cultures, experiences, and backgrounds at all levels in
law firms. It requires engaged leadership, candid self-
awareness, and tackling biases (both express and
implicit). It requires educational programs for members
of the bar, such as the “Diversity Resources” available
through The Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on
Diversity and Inclusion, 4 and the Report of The
Florida Bar Special Committee on Gender Bias. 5
What can each of us do to move the diversity and
inclusion needle forward? Some initial steps include:
1. Joining a minority bar association, or at
least attending some minority bar association
events. Men are welcome and active members of
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P R E S I D E N T ’ S
M E S S A G E
John A. Schifino – Gunster
HAWL; GEBA welcomes the participation of its white
members; and the THBA is not limited to Hispanics.
These and many other local affinity bar associations are
doing important work, providing valuable CLEs, and
offering fantastic marketing opportunities for all
members of the bar.
2. Getting involved as a mentor. Volunteer to
mentor a minority law student or young lawyer, and no
matter who you mentor, make diversity and inclusion
part of the discussion.
3. Participating in bias-interruption and diversity
and inclusion training. No one is immune to bias. We
need to check ourselves.
4. Seeking out non-white and women lawyers
and judges to serve on speaking panels, boards,
and committees.
There are no easy answers or quick fixes to achieving
diversity and inclusion. But the journey is possible. Each
of us must take responsibility for pursuing and making
positive changes to our profession, and meaningful
diversity and inclusion is a goal worth pursuing.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,
Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population, 2018
(https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm).
2 American Bar Association, Commission on Women
in the profession, A Current Glance at Women in the Law
(January 2018) (https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/
aba/administrative/women/a-current-glance-at-women-in-
the-law-jan-2018.pdf).
3 https://www.quora.com/Why-are-diversity-and-
inclusion-important-to-the-success-of-Hewlett-Packard.
4 https://www.floridabar.org/about/diversity/diversity003/.
5 https://www-media.floridabar.org/uploads/2017/06/
Special-Committee-on-Gender-Bias-Report-2017.pdf.
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