Today I received an email from the Rhode Island Bar's Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion. I have to confess I didn't know we had such a Task Force, so I guess I've got to try harder to keep up. In any event, the Task Force sent out a survey to members of the Bar to determine the level of diversity and inclusion in the profession. As I hope readers know by now, I wrote a book with very definite opinions about diversity and inclusiveness in our judicial system.
Since I'm semi-retired, I have little interest in the profession save for my support of any effort to increase the inclusion of diverse populations in the Bar's membership. Some might recall that I recently wrote an essay calling for diversity on our high court. So this is an issue that I'm committed to, just not in my immediate professional life.
That said, I thought I'd answer the Demographic Data Survey and thought I'd share some of the Q and As with you.
Quesstion 1. Do you believe the RI Bar Association is committed to diversity and inclusion?
Answer 1. Right out of the gate, a softball. My response, "Committed? No. This lack of commitment is evidenced in the lack of CLE offerings and the lack of programs directed toward underserved Rhode Islanders." Now you might think I didn't capture the spirit of the survey - you're probably right, but I saw "diversity" and "inclusion" and just lost my head.
Q 2. "Do you believe the RI Supreme Court is committed to diversity and inclusion?
A 2. The hits just keep comin'. "No, evidenced by the lack of an Access To Justice Commission for which it received grant money to study and form."
Q 3. "Does the RI Bar Association participate in programs to increase diversity and inclusion in the legal profession?"
A3. "See answer t first question." At this point, you're probably thinking that I didn't capture the Zeitgeist of the survey. You're probably right.
At this point, the survey went into demographic collection mode and collecting information relative to the respondent's professional life but at this point I did inform them that I was semi-retired, so I'll just move on....
Q 17. "What is the biggest challenge you have faced while practicing law?"
A 17. This question was in the middle of the demographic//professional questions but since it seemed retrospective in nature, I answered, "Meeting, with limited resources and even less institutional support, the overwhelming needs of unrepresented clients." It's true.
Q 21. "How would you like your Bar Association to assist you in your practice?"
A 21, Again in the past tense voice, "I would have but reached out and was rebuffed." I would have let them know I did this three times but I guess good sense got the better of me.
Q 22. "List three things the RI Bar Association could do to be more inclusive of diverse members?"
A 22. "Support diversity in the Judiciary:
Move to create an Access To Justice Commission;
Institute CLE opportunities relative to the intersection of law and poverty."
OK, I know this wasn't precisely what they were looking for but I think my answers were responsive to their question.
Q 23. "What could the courts do to be more inclusive of diverse members of the Bar?
A 23. "See answers to Q 22. It's got to be a collaborative effort." Once again, probably not what they were looking for but in a broader sense, it was responsive to their question.
Q 28. "Do you have any suggestions or feedback for the Bar's Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion?"
A 28. For me, this was the money shot, the game winner, the home run in the bottom of the 9th to win a tight game. "Yeah, read my book."
I know, it's a bit snarky but - and here a BIG BUT - my answers were responsive. The problem with the survey and the Bar in general is that it acts as a trade association and not as a resource to the needs underserved civil litigants or to those members of the Bar who try to meet that level of needs. All I did was try to broaden the scope of the information flowing into the Task Force.
The issue really isn't a programmatic response to a narrow problem, rather the issue is one of culture change in the Bar, the Judiciary, and in the legislative and executive branches. All I did was throw a little light on the real issues our Bar has to grapple with.
And so it goes...
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