Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2023

9:45 A.M. – 10:45 A.M. – Session 1

How Companies Can Maintain DE&I Momentum While Navigating and Avoiding Legal Risks
Diversity, equity and inclusion awareness in the workplace has made great strides, and at an accelerated pace over the past few years. Most businesses are becoming increasingly aware that there is value to be gained from a diverse workforce by implementing impactful initiatives and policies to promote diversity and inclusiveness. In some states, a few statutes affirmatively regulate how companies must conduct diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. However, most states prohibit certain practices by companies without articulating specific applications. This often causes conflicts that are not easily resolved, and in some instances may subject companies to legal risk.

Facilitator:
• Barbara Barron, MehaffyWeber (Houston, TX)

11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – Session 2

Companies Are Demanding DEI Metric-Driven Results from Law Firms – What Can Law Firms We Do Right Now? (Standing Still is Not an Option)
Law firms across the country are increasingly reevaluating their procedures and activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion as a direct result of receiving RFPs from clients and prospective clients demanding metric-driven data and various other benchmarks that not only reflect the composition of the firm, but also potential case assignments and other criteria. This session is an interactive discussion regarding what law firms, small to large, can do to best position themselves from a business perspective to respond to the needs of clients, including best practices that some of our firms have already implemented. The discussion will also include clients sharing their initiatives and growing need to account for DEI in professional services partners and what law firms can do to assist them.

Facilitators:

• Noble F. Allen, Hinckley Allen (Hartford, CT)
• Merton A. Howard, Hanson Bridgett LLP (San Francisco, CA)