DIVERSITY

Diversity isn't just a buzzword we use at the SDCBA.

It’s part of the very fabric of our association. Initiatives that support inclusion are a significant part of the Association’s work and mission, and throughout the years, we’ve continued to provide, build upon and support diversity in the legal profession . We are committed to promoting inclusion in every aspect of our association and creating a more inclusive legal community by our:

MISSION STATEMENT & CORE VALUES:
Committed to inclusion, one of the SDCBA’s six core values;
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
Providing leadership opportunities where diverse lawyers are encouraged to participate and lead;
PROGRAMMING & EDUCATION:
Providing education and awareness to the legal community on diversity related issues, including our ongoing Dialogue on Diversity series, our national award-winning Diversity Fellowship Program for first year and part-time second-year law students, and adopting policies to include diverse members on panels;
DIVERSITY PLEDGE:
Creating a guideline and standard for local law firms, corporate law departments, law schools, public agencies, and organizations promoting diversity in the hiring, retention, and advancement of attorneys; and
SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL DIVERSITY BARS:
We support our local diversity bars and champion their efforts, including co-producing, sponsoring, and promoting their programs and events in the local community.

Definitions of Terms

“Diversity” or “Diverse”

Diversity or Diverse: An expansive, flexible, and evolving concept encompassing a set of characteristics, experiences, and conditions (whether actual or perceived) that reflects an individual’s membership in an underrepresented, underserved, or historically disadvantaged group. These characteristics include race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, and other relevant characteristics as context requires, as well as the intersectionality of these characteristics.

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”): Promoting and advocating for all types of Diversity, and purposefully striving to include the various aspects of Diversity in all spaces. Embracing “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” is an active practice and process that includes educating oneself as to the Diversity of others; developing an appreciation for the different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences of people who are Diverse from oneself; creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, accepted, and valued; and enabling underrepresented, underserved, or historically disadvantaged groups to succeed as full participants by creating equitable access, opportunity, and advancement.

It is creating a culture that values empathy, inclusion, and inherent human dignity; it is advocating for structures and systems of power that promote fairness and justice; it is building a community where all members are fully involved and empowered because they are welcome and they belong; and it is vigilantly protecting against biased thought, discriminatory action, unequal treatment, and inequitable opportunity.

back to top

Diversity Fellowship Program

The San Diego County Bar Association and Association of Corporate Counsel-San Diego Chapter created the Diversity Fellowship Program (Program) in 2009 in response to the low number of diverse attorneys practicing law in San Diego County law firms and corporate legal departments. The Program provides an opportunity for talented diverse, first year and part-time second year law students to learn and develop skills necessary to be successful in the legal field while exposing participating employers to qualified individuals who might not otherwise be considered under traditional recruitment processes.

Learn Moreback to top

Committee for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI)

The Committee’s purpose is to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and improved access to justice in all aspects of the legal profession and the community. The Committee supports the SDCBA Diversity Fellowship Program, and includes the Anti-Racism Sub-Committee and the Different Abilities Sub-Committee. To learn more about the current projects of this committee, CLICK HERE, or please contact the chair or Olga Blankson at oblankson@sdcba.org.

Learn Moreback to top

Dialogue on Diversity

The SDCBA's Dialogue on Diversity program offers attendees the opportunity to learn from industry leaders on cutting edge topics while earning CLE credit and networking. Dialogue on Diversity programming will be presented on a quarterly basis in 2021.

October 7, 2020: Dialogue on Diversity program, "Right to Vote! History of Voting Rights, Legal Challenges, and Current Concerns – A Panel Discussion and Town Hall Dialogue

back to top

Sign On To The Diversity Pledge

The SDCBA initially created the Diversity Pledge in 2007 to serve as a guideline for fostering diversity within the legal profession in San Diego. The Diversity Pledge, updated for 2021, focuses efforts within the legal profession on promoting diversity in the hiring, retention, and advancement of diverse (or underrepresented attorneys) attorneys within law firms, corporate law departments, law schools, public agencies, and organizations. Although the Diversity Pledge includes a detailed list of diversity goals and practices for organizations to consider, it is meant to serve as a set of guidelines and suggested best practices for those law firms, corporate law departments, law schools, public agencies, and organizations that commit to the Diversity Pledge. Please see the list below of those that have already signed on to the Diversity Pledge.

To read the SDCBA Diversity Pledge in its entirety, click here.
To become a Diversity Pledge Signatory, sign and return this form

back to top