David Smith Participates in Panel at the National Symposium on Diversity in the Legal Profession

Firm Chairman David Smith participated in a panel discussion on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the National Symposium on Diversity in the Legal Profession held at the Union League of Philadelphia. The panel, “White Men and Diversity: A Candid Conversation,” discussed the roles non-diverse partners can play to advance diversity and inclusion in corporate legal departments and law firms. The panelists shared specific action steps to engage white men in the diversity dialogue and spoke openly about white male privilege, subtle and unconscious bias, and the myth of the meritocracy.

The National Symposium on Diversity in the Legal Profession and the Philadelphia Bar Association are committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. This year’s symposium discussed the importance of collaboration to advance diversity and inclusion in the legal profession; benchmarks to measure success; and best practices for the recruitment, retention and advancement of women and diverse attorneys.

Media coverage of the panel appeared in The Legal Intelligencer on November 14.