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The days of the “feel good” campaigns around diversity are a thing of the past. Today, law fi rms of all sizes are making inclusion and retention their top priority, with an emphasis on breaking down unconscious barriers that work to derail well-intentioned diversity recruitment programs and create a revolving door for qualifi ed but frustrated lawyers of difference.
iversity eff orts have historically been based on numbers, tapping a diverse talent pool in an attempt to get some lawyers of color in the door, accord- ing to diversity experts. In many cases, those eff orts were measured by anecdotal evidence only. Today, diversity leaders like
Kathleen Nalty are calling for a renewed focus on true inclusion and retention to ensure that minorities and those historically underrepresented in the legal profession are not only at the table, but that they are mentored, promoted, net- worked, and their voices truly heard. As executive director for the Denver-based
Center for Legal Inclusiveness (CLI), Nalty is dedicated to the cause of helping law fi rms pick up what she describes as “the second half of the equa- tion—advancement and retention.”
DIVERSITY & THE BAR® JULY/AUGUST 2012
“As long as we only chase the numbers, we will
never make progress since many diverse attorneys once hired leave or don’t reach their potential,” Nalty says. “Diversity is about counting people, inclusiveness is about making people count.” CLI is a nonprofi t dedicated to advancing
diversity in the legal profession by actively educat- ing and supporting private and public sector legal organizations to create cultures of inclusion. CLI has partnered with MCCA to provide inclusive- ness training for its new Academy for Leadership and Inclusiveness. CLI’s work includes an online campaign “Step Up for Diversity,” a grassroots initiative designed to motivate attorneys nation- wide to take small steps for big change for diver- sity and inclusiveness in the legal profession. CLI is a clearinghouse for information on diversity and inclusiveness best practices.
MCCA.COM
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