New Nonprofit
to Assist Legal Organizations with Diversity and
Inclusiveness
The Core Strategy Group of the Deans' Diversity
Council is proud to announce the formation of a new nonprofit dedicated to
educating the legal community about diversity and inclusiveness.
According to the experts, "inclusive excellence"
provides the key to unlock the barriers to diversity in the legal
profession. "Diversity" is about numbers increasing percentages
whereas "inclusion" is about changing cultures in legal offices and
thereby improving morale, productivity, and retention. Colorado Campaign
for Inclusive Excellence will provide the tools for achieving inclusion.
This new nonprofit will take diversity efforts of the Colorado legal
community to the next level by providing needed resources, including this
e-newsletter; a website www.colegaldiversity.org (under construction); an
educational program, including the 2008 Rocky Mountain Diversity
Conference and adaptation of the Denver Foundation's Inclusiveness
Workbook for use by the legal community; coordination of diversity efforts
in the legal community; and more.
Kathleen Nalty
Named Executive Director and Patty Powell Named Director of Community
Outreach for the Non-Profit
Both Kathleen and Patty have been active in
diversity issues in the
Rich Baer,
General Counsel at Qwest, Joins CCIE
Board of Directors
Qwest General Counsel Rich Baer is the latest
leader in the legal community to join the CCIE Board of Directors. The
Board includes the DU and CU law deans, several law firm managing
partners, representatives from legal nonprofits and government, as well as
corporate legal counsel. For a complete list of board members, click here.
2008 Rocky
Mountain Legal Diversity Summit
The 2008 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit will
be held on Wednesday, March 19,
2008 from 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. at the
University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Founded by Colorado Campaign
for Inclusive Excellence and Patton
Boggs LLP, the conference will focus on the concept of
inclusiveness in the legal profession. Participants will gain an
understanding of how to create an inclusive legal organization.
Davis Graham
& Stubbs LLP,
Holland & Hart
LLP,
and Arnold
& Porter are also top sponsors of this event. For more
information on sponsorship opportunities, please click here.
Diversity
Survey Report Available
A comprehensive report of the 2007 Legal Diversity
Survey of Denver area attorneys is available online here.
Legal
Diversity in the News
Diversity efforts at largest
In Students' Eyes, Look-Alike
Lawyers Don't Make the Grade Article reported on efforts by grassroots law
student group at Stanford to create "diversity report cards" and to rank
law firms by number of diverse attorneys. Law students are discouraged
from accepting offers from low-ranking firms and one white male student
reportedly declined an offer from a firm with an "F" ranking. The rankings
are reported at www.betterlegalprofession.org. The New York Times
article by Adam Liptak October 29, 2007.
Why are Minority Female
Associates Leaving Law Firms? Article reports results from recent study
indicating that minority female law firm associates have the highest
attrition rates and less than a third plan to stay at their firm for five
years. Minority female associates also report less satisfaction and more
obstacles at large firms than their peers, including men of color. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1194343441401&rss=newswire
Law.com article by D.M. Osborne November 7, 2007.