Lawyer’s Lantern


OVERCOMING THE OUTSIDER EXPERIENCE BY LORI L. GARRETT


12


She is a junior associate. She is the first in her family to have gone to law school. She was at the top of her class in school, but her school is in the third tier. She is 27 years old. Her parents are immigrants. She has a partner, but is unmarried. She is childless. She has strong opinions but is soft-spoken. She was born in a rural Midwestern town. She speaks two languages and is learning a third.


I DIVERSITY & THE BAR® MAY/JUNE 2012


magine this person being the newest hire in your organization. Is she diff erent than the majority of your colleagues? What would you expect to be the quality of her experience in your organization? Will her ideas be accepted? Will her perspective be welcomed? Will she be included or will she feel like an outsider? T e value of diversity in an organization can be


described as the collective strength of experiences, skills, talents, perspectives, and cultures that each employee brings to the table. Diversity is how an organization brings a dynamic business environment


to the clients or customers it serves. It is well documented that a more diverse organization is more creative and solves problems better. We at MCCA say that diversity is, in part, about counting the people who make up the organiza- tion. Inclusion, on the other hand, is about respecting and valuing the unique dimension each employee adds to the organization. An inclusive work environment allows all employees to be their creative and productive best. Helping people feel included is what allows organizations to sustain diversity. Inclusion is about making the diverse individuals in the organization count. Organizations that focus exclusively on diversity, without focusing on inclusion too, often experience high turnover


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