PHILADELPHIA—From Washington, D.C., to New York, to Houston, key legal minds from across the country came to embrace and advance diversity this Tuesday at the first Symposium on Diversity in the Legal Profession.
Hosted by the Philadelphia Bar Association at the historic Union League, the symposium attracted a long list of accomplished panelists and experts who brought the message of inclusion, and outlined how leaders in the legal profession can enrich their field by promoting diversity.
“Today is the first time ever the national diversity and inclusion community has come here with their collective wisdom, knowledge, and will to help bring the diversity and inclusion message to the Philadelphia legal community,” said Scott W. Reid, chair of the Cozen O'Connor Diversity Committee.
Nationwide, the importance of such a symposium lies in the numbers, which speak for themselves. According to the Association of Legal Career Professionals, women account for approximately 19.5 percent of law partners, while minorities account for only 6.5 percent. Philadelphia’s standing is below the national average, with minority partners making up under 4 percent.
“We are capable of diligently working together to ensure that this profession is accessible to everyone, regardless of background, because the legal profession belongs to all of us, not just some of us,” said Reid.
The symposium included an afternoon of discussions outlining benchmarks of success, best practices for recruitment of diverse attorneys, as well as the impact diversity has in the legal workplace.
In his keynote speech, Robert J. Grey Jr., executive director of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, correlated diversity with talent and opportunity. “[It’s about] talent development and promoting talent in our organizations. If we get that right, we will be diverse,” said Grey, who was the first African-American officer in the American Bar Association.
