AGENDA: Thursday, November 12th, 2020

As organizations scramble to deal with Covod-19's financial challenges, the focus companies place on D & I initiatives have come to a screeching halt. Yet, a growing body of evidence is finding that gender parity and racial diversity, particularly in decision-making roles, has a meaningful impact on innovation, productivity, and profitability. This is not breaking news. Even with the cataclysmic shifts that the world is experiencing, the push for equity in the workplace must be maintained. How your organization shows up right now, will be remembered.   

This panel will explore: 

• How this pandemic has contributed to uncovering the disparity between marginalized and privileged groups 
• What we can all do as individuals and leaders to foster some difficult but necessary conversations 
• How in-house counsel can have a direct impact, not only by fostering an inclusive culture within their departments, but also by committing to hiring law firms that employ and promote women and minorities
• Steps law firms can take, such as re-thinking the allocation of origination credit, instituting a gender-diverse committee and third-party oversight of the firm’s practices, and ensuring the firm’s succession plan is gender neutral

Leaders of color are resolute in their determination to get ahead. Why then do so few make it to the top in Big Law or major corporations? The numbers are abysmal with 2.81 percent in equity partnership positions and 3.9 percent in the C-suite. Due to ongoing events since the spring of 2020, public outcry for change is at an all-time high. And while diversity and inclusion initiatives are becoming more commonplace in both law firms and corporate America, progress is slow.

This panel will explore:

• The challenges that minority leaders face in the legal profession
• Why law firms and other employers should care about retaining and advancing people of color
• Performative vs. Sustainable change
• Affinity groups and other resources
• Success stories - Advice for young attorneys of color

This is a timely topic now that the workplace is as age-diverse as ever before. And it seems that the generations differ on how things should be run in the workplace. Older workers say they feel like they are being pushed out while younger workers are leaving in large numbers because they feel under-valued. If organizations are going to thrive, everyone needs to understand their coworkers and, most importantly, avoid letting their implicit biases get in the way.

This panel will explore:

• How to work through the stereotypes that encourage bias
• Understanding and appreciating differences in perspectives
• How to encourage better communication in order to bridge the gap
• Constructive mentoring (formal and informal)
• Succession planning that works for all

Women often do not apply for a job or a promotion if they don’t check every box, whereas men regularly seek jobs for which they are only partially qualified. The challenge can be even more daunting when considering a dream job or career choice that is not part of the normal trajectory. While the virus has pushed us out of our comfort zones, it has also presented a unique opportunity to explore our options. Pursuing these options (whether it be a raise, a promotion or a nontraditional path) requires the confidence and courage to see your own potential in order to go after what is important to you.

This panel will explore:

• Letting go of the past and finding new ways of adapting to the changes ahead
• Getting clear with what you really want and making the current climate work for you
• The ASK: Asking for what you want and knowing why you deserve
• The role of sponsors, mentors and allies in getting us closer to our goals
• How best to advocate for ourselves and others

Women leaders in both business and the legal profession are still rare. Because creating and maintaining a gender-balanced workforce is no longer a gesture of good will, but essential to financial growth, finding ways to foster diversity in corporate leadership is imperative.

This panel will explore:

• Bridging the gap between the business and legal units
• Recruiting and sustaining female talent
• Increasing awareness of the effects of implicit biases around female stereotypes:
  • They are not tough enough
  • They are more invested in their families than their careers
• Tips and Success stories

Being a parent is more demanding than ever. Women feel more pressure to breastfeed, to do enriching activities with their children, and to provide close supervision. Men want to be more involved in the day-to-day process of raising their children but may feel stigmatized for prioritizing family over career. Working in the traditional, male-oriented legal profession only serves to increase this pressure. Can attorneys balance a fulfilling career AND raise healthy, happy children?                 

This panel will explore:

• Can working mothers really ‘have it all’?
• Can fathers hope to play an equal role in parenting without jeopardizing their careers?
• Why should companies support – not penalize – working parents?
• Changing the culture – programs that reduce stress and enhance productivity
• What are some realistic tips for achieving balance?

Whether discrimination comes from overt prejudice or unconscious bias, minorities and women are not receiving equal opportunities or treatment when it comes to landing in-house counsel positions, earning promotions, or making partner in a law firm. In fact, the impact of unconscious bias can be insidious and too easily underestimated or rationalized. How can lawyers identify their own unconscious biases and overcome discrimination when it affects them directly?

This panel will explore:

• The types of unconscious bias to look out for:
  • Power of language
  • Institutional bias
  • Ignorance and education
• How to approach:
  • Managers
  • Peers
  • Direct reports
• When an official approach is needed – reporting bias