In an article published in Savoy Magazine, Ronald Machen and Cadene Russell Brooks discuss how legal organizations can establish a strategic plan to advance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Excerpt: In the 20 months since the murder of George Floyd, hundreds of law firms and legal organizations in the United States made commitments to support racial equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, as well as financial pledges toward the same. Despite these commitments, the current state of the legal profession demonstrates that significant progress is still needed.
A commitment to meaningful change requires that organizations establish a strategic plan and measurable outcomes that hold individuals within their own employee ranks, as well as in third-party business relationships, accountable. In 2020, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies-a Washington, D.C. think tank focused on issues affecting Black communities-asked WilmerHale to create a toolkit for companies intent on diversifying their ranks and addressing systemic bias while minimizing legal risks. The toolkit provides insights on understanding bias; best practices for improving recruitment, hiring, and retention of Black employees and board professionals; and guidance on third-party business relationships.
