News, Events & Announcements
2021 Annual Meeting
The ABA Forum on Franchising Diversity Caucus is pleased to present, in conjunction with the Forum’s Women’s Caucus, the following Luncheon Event at the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Atlanta on Friday, October 15, 2021 at 11:30am. All Annual Meeting attendees are welcome to participate at no additional charge.
Activating Equity through Leadership and Allyship
Attorneys in all industries have made great strides in acknowledging bias in recent years. While identifying this issue is a critically important step, the legal industry must continue to proactively address bias in order to effectuate meaningful change. This program aims to provide concrete solutions and “next steps” to attorneys who have identified bias within their organization, and to give insight into how industry leaders have improved equity in their workplaces. Creating systemic change in the legal industry is vitally important to strengthening relationships between the legal industry and the diverse communities we serve.
Please join our panel of experts as they discuss:
- Strategies for increasing equity within their organizations
- How diversity and inclusion efforts interact with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct
- Interrupting bias and addressing diversity challenges in the workplace and in the practice of law
Moderator and panelists are, as follows:
Moderator:
Katerina “Kat” Taylor, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Nelson Mullins
Panelists:
- Rodney D. Bullard, Esq., Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility, Chick-fil-A, Inc. and Executive Director, Chick-fil-A Foundation;
- Pedro Pavón, Esq., Privacy, Data Policy and Ads, Facebook; and,
- Yendelela Neely Holston, Esq., Partner & Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP
2020 Annual Meeting
The Diversity Caucus has the pleasure of presenting Dr. Isaiah McKinnon, former Detroit Police Chief, as the keynote speaker at the annual Diversity Caucus gathering during the annual ABA Forum on Franchising – a virtual gathering this year. Dr. McKinnon began his five-decade career in public service as an officer with the Detroit Police Department in 1965. He has held many positions in the department including patrol operations and various supervisory, administrative, command, and executive roles, including Police Chief and Deputy Mayor. This discussion is certainly important and timely, and we are happy to have the opportunity to hear from Dr. McKinnon.
Please let us know if there is a particular topic you want explored at future events. This Diversity Caucus is here to serve the needs of our diverse Forum members, and we can best achieve it with your feedback.
2019 Annual Meeting
The October 2019 Diversity Caucus lunch in Denver, Colorado, was an opportunity to have a very open and candid discussion about diversity and inclusion in the legal workplace. The “open mic” format, guided by the Diversity Caucus Steering Committee, provided a platform for Forum members to share their experiences in recognizing and addressing these issues. Thank you to the attendees for their participation in this conversation.
2018 Annual Meeting
At the annual Diversity Caucus Lunch, speakers, Sherin Sakr, Clay Tillack, and Liza Favaro joined the Diversity Caucus to discuss the challenges of recognizing and working to eliminate bias in law firms. The issues discussed included: How does law firm bias manifest itself? How can law firms create a workplace that encourages success for all? What do clients expect from law firms in terms of diversity and inclusion? How can clients and law firms work together to create a bias-free work environment?
Calling All Diverse Forum Members
Since our inception in October 2010, the Diversity Caucus has operated with an informal membership roll. Forum members were invited to join us for the Annual Diversity Luncheon and participate in co-sponsored events such as the community service project. With this new year, we strive to become a more recognized caucus in the Forum and urge all Forum members to participate in our events.
Diversity Officer:
Bethany L. Appleby
Appleby & Corcoran, LLC
[email protected]
(203) 623-7129
Steering Committee:
Iris Figueroa Rosario
[email protected]
(703) 864-2617
Dawn Diaz
Reach Hospitality Group
[email protected]
(504) 577-9764
Mohammad M. Alturk
Baker McKenzie
[email protected]
(214) 978 3029
Christine Tani
Carter & Tani
[email protected]
(630) 668-2135
Tao Xu
DLA Piper LLP (US)
[email protected]
(703) 773-4181
For more information about Diversity & Inclusion and the ABA, please visit: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/ and https://www.americanbar.org/advocacy/justice-system/
