Nov. 1, 2017 – Change the tone of society, and strengthen your business and community relationships.
Those are the benefits of a strong diversity and inclusion program, says Judge Carl Ashley, chairperson of the State Bar of Wisconsin Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee.
“It’s just a good business model,” says Judge Ashley. “Looking at the demographics of our country, a good diversity and inclusion program is needed to really expand your business or firm and strengthen your community.”
“Don’t pass on the opportunity to become more informed on this issue and to be a voice for opportunity,” says Judge Carl Ashley, chairperson of the State Bar of Wisconsin Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee.
What are the best ways to create and maintain a successful diversity and inclusion program?
The 2017 Diversity Counsel CLE program, Today’s Diversity and Inclusion Programs: Successes, Ethical Issues, and Challenges, aims to help you answer that question.
The program, taking place on Dec. 11 in Milwaukee, improves cultural competence and points out pathways and strategies to improve diversity and inclusion in your community, corporation, law firm, or organization.
Currently, there is an unfortunate societal trend toward more divisiveness, and a general lack of support for expanding opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds, Judge Ashley said.
“If you are interested in changing the tone of the way things are going, this is the program for you,” says Judge Ashley.
Practical Advice
The program will provide guidance for making your practice, your firm, and your community a more welcoming, all-encompassing place for people of all backgrounds, and will include practical, straightforward strategies from judges and lawyers.
For example, an important facet of a diversity and inclusion program is hiring practices. Inclusive hiring doesn’t just happen. “You’ve got to really commit to hiring people of diverse backgrounds,” Judge Ashley said.
And once you bring them in, mentoring and programs that support their career development are key to ensuring a diverse person is not marginalized. Sometimes even small things can hinder their development. Through implicit bias “you may be doing things that create an environment where they don’t feel welcome,” Judge Ashley said.
A Clearer Lens
The roundtable discussion will offer insights into the perspectives of those who have worked in government, private practice, the corporate world, and as solo lawyers – and what they have encountered as people of color. “We will look through the prism of someone else – what are the barriers they faced,” Judge Ashley said.
Shannon Green is communications writer for the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison. She can be reached by email or by phone at (608) 250-6135.
You’ll walk away from the program with more information on the impact of implicit bias and the positive effects of a good diversity and inclusion program.
“We want to give people a clearer lens of what goes on from someone else’s perspective,” Judge Ashley said.
“Don’t pass on the opportunity to become more informed on this issue and to be a voice for opportunity,” Judge Ashley said.
To register or for more information, visit WisBar’s Marketplace or www.wisbar.org/diversitycle.
See Judge Ashley discuss cultural competence in the video from this issue of InsideTrack, and implicit bias in this video from the Oct. 18, 2017, issue of InsideTrack.
2017 Diversity Counsel Program - Today’s Diversity and Inclusion Programs: Successes, Ethical Issues, and Challenges
Host: State Bar of Wisconsin Diversity & Inclusion Oversight Committee
Sponsors: ALFA International, Foley & Lardner LLP, Northwestern Mutual, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren SC.
Funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Law Foundation.
When: 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Monday, Dec.11, 2017
Where: Italian Conference Center, Inc., 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee
Credits: This program will be submitted to the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners for up to 4.0 CLE credits, including 1.0 EPR.
Tuition:
- State Bar of Wisconsin Member: $35
- Ultimate Pass Subscriber: $25
- Nonmember: $50
- Student: $15
The program schedule includes three panel discussions:
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How to Create and Maintain a Successful Diversity & Inclusion Program – a discussion on elements to include in your program, the policies and procedures that work, and steps to implement your program. The panel is moderated by John Wesley Warren, with panelists Raymone Jackson, Angela Russell, Jim St. Vincent, and Danielle White.
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Leading the Way: Diversity and Inclusion – More than Misconduct for Harassment and Discrimination – an exploration of a lawyer’s duties under the Rules of Professional Conduct. Moderated by Aviva Kaiser, State Bar Ethics Counsel, with panelists Pa Her and Christopher Krimmer.
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Diversity: A Candid Roundtable Discussion – a discussion on the resurgence of racial and ethnic polarization. Moderated by Judge Carl Ashley with panelists Andrew Chevrez, Steven DeVougas, and Judge Maxine White.
See the schedule and list of presenters. Register online on WisBar’s Marketplace.
