At the SDCBA, community and inclusion are two of our core values. To bring those values to life, diversity and inclusion efforts must be a daily practice. And while there is always more to do, I am proud of the steps we have taken to support and increase diversity in the legal profession. Among these efforts, the SDCBA adopted in 2018 a leading-edge policy setting out requirements for diversity among our educational programming speakers, available here. The policy aims to create a more inclusive legal community, including providing speaking opportunities and encouraging the full and equal participation of our members.
Additionally, our Committee for Diversity and Inclusion (previously the Ethnic Relations and Diversity Committee) meets monthly, typically the second Friday of the month, as a way for the SDCBA and members of the local diversity and specialty bar associations to gather, facilitate dialogue, and focus strategic efforts on advancing diversity within the profession. If you are an SDCBA member interested in advancing diversity and inclusion in the profession, you can apply to join the Committee through our newly revamped committee appointments process. Click here for more information.
And, importantly, another of our signature efforts is the Diversity Fellowship Program, which the SDCBA runs in partnership with the Association of Corporate Counsel, San Diego Chapter. The Diversity Fellowship Program was launched in 2009 to increase the participation of diverse attorneys practicing law in San Diego County. Each summer, diverse law students are placed in participating law firms and corporate legal departments throughout the County. This provides an amazing opportunity for the participating fellows to gain hands-on legal experience and for employers to benefit from the unique talents and perspectives that law students from diverse backgrounds bring to the table.
If you are part of a law firm or corporate legal department interested in participating in the Diversity Fellowship Program as an employer, please reach out to DFP Director Bhashini Weerasinghe at bw@bhashinilaw.com. For more information, please visit the Diversity Fellowship Program webpage here. And, if you haven’t already read it, check out the latest issue of San Diego Lawyer Magazine, which focused on diversity.
Finally, don’t forget, the Bar Center will be closed next Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Have a great week!
Johanna Schiavoni
2020 SDCBA President