The mission of the Philadelphia Bar Association is to serve the profession and the public by promoting justice, professional excellence and respect for the rule of law. In so doing, the Association strives to foster understanding of, involvement in and access to the justice system.
The Philadelphia Bar Association is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in the profession, so that all members of the bar can fully participate in all aspects of the profession. This Statement of Diversity and Inclusion Principles evidences a renewed commitment to promoting diversity, a broad concept that includes race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, marital status, veteran status, parental status, socioeconomic status and our unique attributes, and inclusion, the harnessing of our diversity so that everyone is valued and has the opportunity to fully participate and succeed in the profession.
Increased diversity and inclusion benefits the profession in many ways. For example, increased diversity enables law firms, legal departments, and other legal organizations to better understand their diverse client base, fostering better communication and representation. Continued diversity and inclusion efforts will help to ensure the representation of more varied perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in the profession, and to create a more equitable and inclusive environment that is critical to the continued success of law firms, legal departments, law schools, and other legal organizations.
Diversity and inclusion can be achieved through initiatives with respect to the recruitment, retention, and promotion of lawyers, irrespective of visible or perceived differences, and through the expansion of recruitment, retention and promotion efforts of racial and ethnic minorities, women, disabled individuals, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender and other diverse individuals. Diversity and inclusion also can be accomplished by training and educating our members, and our current and future leaders.
Creating a diverse and inclusive environment is a long-term commitment to the future of the profession, and achieving diversity and inclusion is a continuing process that requires a steadfast commitment by the bar.
For these reasons, the Philadelphia Bar Association reaffirms its commitment to diversity, and agrees to:
PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
ADOPTED: September 22, 2014