Kenneth Imo spent years playing college football for Southern Methodist University, working his way up in the U.S. Air Force and leading the charge for diversity in two international law firms. Imo mined his experiences for his book, Fix It: How History, Sports, and Education Can Inform Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Today.
In this episode of the Modern Law Library, ABA Publishing’s Ashley Alfirevic speaks with Imo about how firms can develop a more diverse and inclusive workforce; improve the legal profession; and creatively tackle the problems at hand.
Imo shares strategies informed by the past and structured to change the future. Alfirevic and Imo discuss the influences of everyone from trailblazing women like Harriet Tubman and Michelle Obama to baseball notables Branch Rickey and Theo Epstein.
Taking steps to combat discrimination and unconscious bias starts in law schools and law firm recruitment, Imo says, beginning with probing the ways that candidates are assessed. By gauging lawyer and partner hopefuls by their job-related traits and successes, Imo hopes we can develop a more diverse and inclusive workforce that will improve the legal profession and creatively tackle the problems at hand.
Listeners can purchase Fix It through the ABA webstore. Tune in to learn more.
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