Diversity Portal
The Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) recognizes that achieving diversity in the legal profession is an evolutionary process that requires the Association's continued effort and commitment.
The LSBA is committed to diversity in its membership, Board of Governors, staff, House of Delegates, committees and all leadership positions. Diversity is an inclusive concept that encompasses race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation and disability.
Diversity Committee
The mission of this committee is to assess the level of racial, ethnic, national origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation and disability diversity within all components of the legal profession in Louisiana; to identify barriers to the attainment of full and meaningful representation and participation in the legal profession by persons of diverse backgrounds; and to propose programs and methods by which the LSBA can most effectively work to remove those barriers and achieve greater diversity.
Diversity Subcommittees
LGBT Subcommittee
This subcommittee coordinates programs to unite, support, and educate attorneys, judges, professors, law students, paralegals, and other members of the legal profession in Louisiana around issues facing LGBT individuals; promotes the creation of coalitions with other legal bar associations and organizations; encourages the adoption of nondiscrimination policies in law firms protecting both sexual orientation and gender identity; and encourages and empowers LGBT individuals to choose law as a career.
Pipeline to Diversity and Outreach Subcommittee
This subcommittee coordinates the Suit Up High School Legal Institute and Internship (Summer) Program; develops professional development workshops and programs for law students with diverse backgrounds; develops programs for high school and college students; identifies volunteers for programs to expose children to legal professionals; and researches and applies for grants to fund LSBA pipeline initiatives. This subcommittee also encourages diversity efforts within the judiciary and law firms; assists in providing educational components and training on various diversity issues; assesses diversity needs of law firms; recommends programs to assist law firms and courts in developing diversity programs and strategic plans; and plans efforts to encourage courts and law firms to execute the diversity commitment statement.
Minority Involvement Section
The most diverse comprised section of the Bar, the Minority Involvement Section was designed to foster a sense of inclusiveness and community among those attorneys who feel their special needs are not currently an intricate part of the Bar system. The Section hosts an annual Minority Job Fair in the fall, a Legal Internship Fair in the spring, a mentoring program for law school students, and many other activities in furtherance of its goals.
Statement of Diversity Principles
Meaningful diversity advancements occur when the leaders in an organization embrace diversity and demonstrate through their actions that diversity is a priority to the organization.
Those signing this Statement of Principles, hereby commit themselves to foster diversity in the legal profession. The LSBA recognizs that diversity is an inclusive concept that encompasses race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability and other aspects of diversity.... See LSBA website for more.