It’s time to put down the press release and get to work to spur transformational change in the industry once and for all.

Can I let you in on a little secret? We’re not impressed with your corporate statement about diversity and inclusion. Especially if to this point your organization has perpetrated some of the core offenses around retention, lack of opportunities and access for people of color. It’s deeply injurious and nothing short of corporate hypocrisy to profit off of exclusionary practices, then scramble to fix the optics and grab the proverbial mic when the cover is blown.

Now is not the time to issue a mea culpa and highlight your new CSR initiative or inclusion rider. Instead, create a sustainable strategy for your commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and double down on efforts to align your actions with your rhetoric. And do this without fanfare.

Originally published in The American Lawyer on August 10, 2020.