The mission of the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession is to be a catalyst promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal profession and the ABA by facilitating the entry, participation and retention of diverse lawyers. The Commission achieves this by furthering the development of substantive programs and services in which diverse lawyers, law firms and law students will actively participate.
Adopted November 2017
The Commission was created in 1986 and is the oldest racial and ethnic diversity entity within the ABA. Please see the Commission’s Historic Timeline – separate handout.
The acronym is the unpronounceable CREDP.
To seek appointment, every Commissioner (both first-timers and those seeking re-appointment) must self-nominate through an online ABA process that generally opens in early December and runs through the third week of the following February. Commissioners are generally appointed for up to a three-year term. In addition to submitting a self- nomination online, Commissioners are encouraged to seek one or two support nominations. A Commissioner should always inform the Commission Chair and staff director if he or she does not wish to seek re-nomination.
The Commission meets in conjunction with the ABA Annual and Midyear meetings. In addition, there is usually a Fall orientation meeting, held between September and early November in Chicago. If time and budgets permit, we may convene a Spring meeting that may be held in conjunction with a meeting of an ABA Section, Division, or Forum.
Attendance at all in person meetings is mandatory but may be excused by the Chair.
In addition to these regular meetings, the Chair generally holds a conference call during those months when the Commission does not meet in person.
Excluding travel, which will vary for each person, a Commissioner should expect to devote 20-40 hours a year to service. The time commitment will also vary depending on which projects the Commissioner participates. Some projects, such as Spirit of Excellence (SOE) demand intensive work from December – early February, but no work from early February until July).
It is both an honor and a responsibility to serve as a Commissioner. Each Commissioner is expected to participate actively, to serve on at least two current projects, and to attend all meetings, both in person and by telephone.
**Note that each Commissioner must serve on at least one, and preferably two committees during each year of service on the Commission.
It will come as no surprise that the ABA has a limited budget for the work of its many entities. That said, the ABA will generally reimburse Commissioners (with the exception of the ABA annual meeting) for any mandatory in person meetings as follows: a daily per diem of $150 (to help defray hotel and incidentals), coach advance purchase airfare of up to $400, plus reasonable transportation to and from the airport, up to $100. If a Commissioner is driving to the meeting, the ABA will cover mileage at the then-current IRS mileage rate. If your employer covers these charges, you are asked not to submit a reimbursement request to the ABA.
Each Commissioner has a passion to serve justice and to advance diversity and inclusion. Each of us is willing to work hard to ensure the legal profession and our society advances these goals. Each year, Commissioners can point to meaningful successes, even as we strive to do more. Finally, service on the Commission brings many rewards and often fosters lifelong friendships.