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January 27, 2025 Chair's Message

Message from the Chair

Colleen Lamarre
Colleen Lamarre

Colleen Lamarre

Chair, ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession

Welcome to the Innovator, the newsletter of the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession (the “Commission”).  This publication highlights the Commission’s efforts and activities to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the profession as well as the efforts of the ABA’s various Sections, Divisions and Forums in furthering this mission.  We hope that this issue of the Innovator will inspire and create opportunities for collaboration.

Since my last message, the Commission has made significant strides in furthering the reach and scope of the Model Diversity Survey.  As you may know, the Model Diversity Survey provides a comprehensive standardized survey for law firms’ reporting of their diversity metrics.  Signatories are able to gain real-time access to any law firms’ diversity demographic data submitted in response to the Model Diversity Survey.  We recently welcomed our first non-profit signatory—The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation!  We released the 2023 Model Diversity Survey and will release the 2024 Model Diversity Report shortly.  For additional information regarding the Model Diversity Survey, including how your company, non-profit organization or law firm can participate, please visit our https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/DiversityCommission/model-diversity-survey/.

The 2025 ABA Midyear Meeting in Phoenix will be a busy meeting for the Commission:

  • We will honor and celebrate five exceptional lawyers whose contributions have helped create a more racially and ethnically diverse legal profession during our 2025 Spirit of Excellence Award Luncheon on at noon on February 1.  The 2025 Spirit of Excellence Award recipients are Col. James M. Durant III, Craig B. Glidden, Judge Diane J. Humetewa, Kalpana Kotagal and Karol Corbin Walker.
  • We will host a panel discussion on from 3-4:30pm on February 1 during which we will discuss the character and fitness component of the bar admissions process and ways that the process can be improved to limit inquiries that are overbroad and yield a discriminatory impact on admissions.
  • We will introduce Resolution 609 to the ABA House of Delegates for adoption.  Resolution 609 urges federal, state, territorial, and tribal bar admission authorities to limit the scope of inquires regarding an applicant’s criminal convictions and legal judgments to those that reflect on the applicant’s propensity to engage in fraud, deceit, dishonesty or misrepresentation in the future delivery of legal services.

I hope to see you at the Midyear Meeting and that you will attend and support the Commission’s activities!

As we begin 2025, I am honored and grateful to lead the Commission and must thank President Bill Bay, President-Elect Nominee Michelle Behnke, Past Presidents Paulette Brown and Mary Smith, Commission Staff Director, Keevin Woods, and Program Associate, Ashton Hall, as well as each of the commissioners, special advisors, and friends of the Commission, who support the work of the Commission and challenge us to be more and do more.

Yours in service,

Colleen Lamarre
San Francisco, CA
Chair, ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession

Colleen Lamarre

Chair, ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession

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