“It is absolutely imperative that every human being’s freedom and human rights are respected, all over the world.” – Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Happy June to all of you!!! Despite the dreary rainy weekend, I’m filled with hope. Let me start with the most exciting news: I am pleased to announce that James Alexander Lewis, V started this week as Executive Director of the New York City Bar Office for Diversity and Inclusion. James has a long history of commitment to this work and broad experience in leveraging bar associations to make a difference while collaborating with people of various backgrounds. We are so thrilled to welcome James to the leadership team of the City Bar. Read all the details of the announcement here. I’ve been fortunate these past few months to have worked day-to-day directly with our incredible D&I staff: Christina Overton, Devanshi Shah and Monica Bello. With their effort, our impact has only increased, including having the largest class ever of fellows in our award-winning Associate Leadership Institute. My continued thanks to my fantastic colleagues and all of the sponsors that support us!

Monday marked the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Read the story and graphical depiction of what Tulsa looked like in 1921 and what was destroyed. It was one of the biggest of a large number of riots and lynchings during which white mobs destroyed Black towns, killing residents and destroying homes and businesses. It is especially relevant to reflect on this history this month, when we commemorate Juneteenth (the City Bar will be closed on Friday, June 18, to observe the day). 

Last month was Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage History Month, particularly important given the recent increase in incidents of anti-Asian and anti-Semitic violence. And June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer+ Pride Month! The Office for Diversity & Inclusion recognizes the Stonewall riots of 1969. This year City Bar’s Annual Pride Reception hosted by the LGBTQ Rights Committee will be on June 17, 2021, virtually (registration opening soon here).

Despite the global pandemic, the City Bar has been incredibly active. You can hear all about it in the presentations at the Annual Meeting of the New York City Bar Association, including remarks from inspiring City Bar President Sheila S. Boston, myself and others. At this Meeting, the newest members of the Board of Directors were elected; keeping with the City Bar’s diversity objectives, 18 of the Board’s 24 members are women or from other historically underrepresented groups.

There’s still plenty of work to be done. The Office for Diversity & Inclusion is still accepting summer employers for the 2021 Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program. If you are interested in hosting a diverse, public NYC high school student this summer, please register here, and for any questions contact Devanshi Shah, Senior Coordinator, Office for Diversity & Inclusion.

The deadline for the 2021 Associate Leadership Institute LITE (ALI LITE) nominations is extended to Friday, June 11! Based on the American Bar Association award-winning program, the Associate Leadership Institute, ALI LITE is a series of high-level development training programs for first to third-year associates at our sponsoring and signatory law firms. Submit your nominations here by Friday, June 11, 2021. Should you have any questions, please contact myself or Christina Overton at diversity@nycbar.org.

Thanks to all of you for doing your part to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the profession and our society. When all of us come together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.

Best,

Meet the new Executive Director of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion – James Alexander Lewis, V! The ODI team is excited to work with James in achieving his vision for the Office. His goals of helping others show up as their authentic selves and of prioritizing discussions around recruitment and retention resonate strongly with our Office’s programming and ideals.

James is also Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Diversity Committee and Treasurer of the Garden State Bar Association, New Jersey’s largest and oldest professional organization for the African-American legal community. Read this to learn more about James.

Deadline extended to June 11, 2021! Nominations are open now for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion’s Associate Leadership Institute LITE (ALI LITE), a professional development program for first to third-year associates at our sponsoring and signatory law firms. Similar to the Associate Leadership Institute, ALI LITE will focus on developing skills imperative to career progression such as business development, leadership and management skills. Learn more and submit your nomination here.

On Wednesday, May 19, the Associate Leadership Institute (ALI) held “Law Firms Are Businesses Too – How Your Firm’s Business Model and Finances Affect You.” The session outlined law firm business models and finances, how associates factor into that structure, and how associates can add value to their firms by understanding those issues. Thank you to our dynamic speakers: Jonathan Barbee (MoloLamken LLP); Adrienne Eason-Wheatley (BNY Mellon), Alanna Rutherford (Visa), Steven F. Molo (MoloLamken LLP), and Ackneil M. Muldrow, III (Trey) (Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP); and thanks to Christina Overton (City Bar Fund) and City Bar Executive Director Bret Parker. Learn more about ALI here.

Law firm and corporate sponsorship packages for 2021 are available now! See the 2021 Sponsorship Guides to learn what each sponsorship level entails, from professional development training to networking opportunities, admission to select events, support for diversity pipeline programming, and more. Should you have any questions, please contact the Office for Diversity & Inclusion.

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is a part of the City Bar Fund, the 501(c)(3) arm of the New York City Bar Association. Our EIN is 13-6003018.