Grand Rapids Bar Association
Diversity Initiatives
POLICY STATEMENT
The United States of America was founded upon ideals of equality and the inherent worth of the individual. Despite this heritage, racism, discrimination and injustice have historically prevented our ideals from being realized - to the detriment of all citizens. Lawyers have an obligation and a unique opportunity to pursue these ideals.
Therefore, it is the policy of the Grand Rapids Bar Association to champion equal justice for all by:
- Advocating fairness, equity and equality;
- Promoting diversity and opposing discrimination; and
- Fostering respect and civility within the Association, in the administration of justice, and throughout the community.
VISION STATEMENT
The Grand Rapids Bar Association, its members and their leadership and employees shall value and reflect the diversity of the Grand Rapids community.
DIVERSITY COMMITTEE CHARGE
Identifies, plans, and implements short and long term goals for enhancing the diversity of the Grand Rapids legal community. Works in a variety of subcommittees to achieve the goals of the GRBA Diversity Strategic Plan developed by the committee; these goals include increased representation of people of color among GRBA members, assist women attorneys to succeed and advance in their careers, and increase the representation of people of color as non-attorney personnel in GRBA member firms and organizations.
To see the GRBA brochure encouraging diversity, click
here.BACKGROUND
On March 17, 1998, the Diversity Committee of the Grand Rapids Bar Association held a half-day Diversity Summit, attended by numerous leaders and members of the GRBA. The Summit was designed to develop strategies addressing the challenge of diversity, by encouraging, increasing, managing and maintaining diversity in the legal community. In preparation for the Summit, the GRBA, in conjunction with a team of researchers at Grand Valley State University, surveyed 239 member organizations, including law firms, courts and corporate legal departments. The results of the survey demonstrated varied progress among member firms, but also revealed broad ongoing needs to increase both hiring and retention of minority attorneys, to improve retention of women attorneys and to improve hiring and retention of minority support staff within member organizations. The Executive Summary of the survey identified a number of specific needs and strategies for meeting those goals. The survey results were presented at the Summit, and the participants engaged in a number of panel workshops designed to flesh out ideas for meeting these goals. The needs identified through the survey and Summit discussions led to the first Diversity Strategic Plan, adopted on October 21, 1999.
Under the 1999-2001 plan, the Diversity Committee formed four subcommittees: (1) Minority Law Student Subcommittee; (2) Minority/Women Attorney Development Subcommittee; (3) Community Outreach Subcommittee; and (4) GRBA Internal Operations and Member Services Subcommittee. Between 1999 and 2002, these subcommittees had a number of accomplishments. For example, in May 2001, the Minority/Women Attorney Development Subcommittee organized the first Professional Women's Golf Outing and Clinic, which has been repeated each year since. The Internal Operations Subcommittee completed an internal review of procedures for recruiting and hiring and drafted amendments to the by-laws to assure accountability under the Diversity Strategic Plan. The Community Outreach Subcommittee developed and presented to Ottawa High School an event highlighting legal career opportunities.
Just as importantly, the Committee came to realize that certain strategies identified under the old plan were unworkable. The Diversity Committee therefore entered into a new round of strategic planning, which concluded with the November 20, 2003 adoption by the GRBA Board of Trustees of a new strategic plan for 2004-2009. Download a copy of the 2004 Strategic Plan
The new Diversity Strategic Plan for 2004-2009 takes a somewhat different focus, highlighting three broad core strategies: (1) Showing Grand Rapids as a place to live and work for minorities and women who wish to practice law; (2) Increasing enthusiasm about diversity among bar members, law students and potential applicants; and (3) Education, collaboration and networking through development of events and presentations, utilizing staff resources where appropriate. New subcommittees have been created to track the three core strategies, designated the "Outreach," "Marketing" and "Events" subcommittees. Under each core strategy, the plan has identified numerous objectives and specific action steps for meeting each objective.
Although the Plan is lengthy, three general considerations are worth specific mention. First, the new strategic plan calls for increasing communication with the GRBA membership, including regular newsletter articles. Second, the new plan emphasizes collaboration with other community organizations. Third, the plan seeks to increase member ownership and investment in the work of the Diversity Committee and to assure fresh perspectives on the Committee's work. To this end, the Committee asked the larger member firms to commit to having at least one attorney sit on the Committee each year.
The work of the Committee is ambitious. The goals of the strategic plan will not be met in a few months or even a few years. But the Diversity Committee is encouraged by its progress over the last five years and committed to the work identified in the Strategic Plan.
|
