Managing, Sponsoring, and Being Diverse Junior Associates

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives in American law firms seemed to spring up quickly before the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and even more rapidly during the pandemic. For many firms, it remains unclear what the results of a successful DEI initiative look like with respect to BIPOC associates, especially in the areas of recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting.

In this CLE program presented by Maximillienne "Max" Elliott, the principal and founder of The Law Offices of Max Elliott, and her associate attorney, Janelle Green, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of what diversity really means in the context of law firms, the legal rules that should be followed, and what challenges confront hiring managers and BIPOC associate attorneys. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the primary legal bases involving discrimination provided by the EEOC, the U.S. Department of Labor, and states' labor and human rights laws 

2. Discuss model rules and states' rules of professional conduct on competency, the responsibility of supervising attorneys, and communication of services 

3. Identify issues that create potential challenges for BIPOC associate attorneys, hiring  managers and committees, and supervising attorneys