Hello All,

As chair of the DLC during this past year, I have had a lot of time to think about diversity within the Association, how far we’ve come, and how far we need to go. Like all great tasks, striving for a diverse Association and a diverse profession is a mission that that is far from complete; however, we should take stock of where we are, what we’ve accomplished, and what still needs to get done.

In the past year, the DLC has identified that diversity is only one-half of the equation, the other being inclusion. It is extremely important that the Association be as inclusive as possible, and that diverse individuals have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of the Association and its business. The goal is to have the diversity and inclusion efforts of the Association influence the broader legal profession. The DLC is and should continue to be at the front of that process. More than just coordinating the diversity efforts of the Association, the DLC should be setting the agenda and guiding the process.

In past year, both the DLC and its constituent committees have taken significant steps in advancing the diversity and inclusion mission of the Association. We successfully hosted the Annual Diversity Reception at this year’s Mid Year Meeting. Our constituent committees have presented remarkable CLE programing, including programing related to the epidemic of sexual violence against women that has become too commonplace on our college campuses. Later this summer the Association, through the efforts of the DLC, will host the Fourth Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference. We have partnered with the Filipino American Lawyers Association, Chinese American Bar Association, Asian American Bar Association, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, South Asian Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, and the Korean American Bar Association. We hope to make the Association’s participation in the Conference an annual event. Finally, the DLC needs to continue pushing the diversity and inclusion agenda of the Association through thoughtful programing and partnerships, while working with current Association leadership to assure the message is heard and that action is taken.

Why place such importance on diversity and inclusion? The answer to the question is both simple and complex. Having a diverse profession that includes all voices and all lawyers of every background is, quite simply, good. Those diverse voices lead to a more robust profession, more diversity of opinion, and will ultimately, if we choose to listen to those opinions, make us better lawyers and, more importantly, better people.

Thanks to all the members of the DLC, the Board of Governors, the Association staff, and everyone else who contributed to our efforts this year. The future is bright. Let’s get there together.

Sincerely,

Cory White 