What is Inclusiveness?
Inclusiveness is a new paradigm for the legal profession. It moves beyond numbers (compositional diversity), and involves embedding practices and philosophies that encourage diversity in every aspect of an organization. Numbers are a critical component of any initiative but as long as diversity in the legal profession is viewed, as it largely has been, as an outcome — a number, a strategy or a phase — progress will be elusive. Real diversity in the legal profession will never be achieved when the focus is solely on numbers. Strategies that fail to address underlying systemic causes and work to achieve sustainability are little more than transient attempts at change. Inclusiveness is the means through which diversity is organically accomplished in legal organizations. At a fundamental level, inclusiveness involves recognizing and valuing the perspectives, backgrounds, life experiences, and world-views of every person without regard for race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, disability,
Although the legal profession has worked very hard in recent years to open its long closed doors to diverse populations, the profession’s limited focus on diversity without consideration of inclusion has changed the open doors into revolving doors. Many of our workplaces invest in the recruiting and hiring of diverse populations only to see increasing attrition rates within these groups. We need to do more than open the doors to diverse populations; we need to open the doors and ensure that the workplaces are actually welcoming of the different backgrounds and perspectives we are seeking. Inclusiveness is an intentional practice and culture that moves beyond numbers (compositional diversity), and involves embedding practices and philosophies that encourage diversity in every aspect of an organization. Numbers are a critical component of any initiative but as long as diversity in the legal profession is viewed, as it largely has been, as an outcome — a number, a strategy or a phase —
