At its May meeting, the Board of Governors adopted WSBA’s first-ever Diversity and Inclusion Plan. Three things strike me as particularly promising about this plan.
First, the plan is based on an “inside out” philosophy. We have committed to strengthening our own organization by building a culture of inclusion that spans the BOG, staff, our 26 boards, councils, committees and task forces, and 27 practice sections. In the spirit of “practice what you preach,” you’ll see us learning right along with you how to create an environment where more people feel welcomed and empowered to succeed in the legal profession.
Second, the plan focuses WSBA on a targeted set of actions based on what we’re uniquely positioned to achieve as a unified bar. We recognize that a great breadth of efforts is required to achieve meaningful diversity — from pipeline to partnership tracks. And yet we know we stand a better chance of achieving lasting impact if we focus on what we can do well. We’re directing our resources into membership demographics, education and training, and collaboration and partnership. Before building new programs, we’ll look for ways to strengthen and leverage what we’re already doing.
Third, we’ve built accountability into the plan. Staff will keep the BOG informed as we roll it out, and each September we’ll deliver an official report. Mark your calendars now for Sept. 18–19, 2014, and plan to listen in and hear about our successes and lessons from our first year of implementation.
What do you think about WSBA’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan? Read it here and join the conversation below.
Megan McNally. Megan is WSBA’s Director of Advancement & Chief Development Officer. She oversees many of WSBA’s programs and services that advance our mission, including CLE, sections, new lawyer support, and justice, diversity and the Bar Foundation that supports them. Megan serves on WSBA’s executive management team, which sets organizational priorities and program goals and provides strategic leadership to the organization.
