Diversity: seize the future and feel the power of inclusion.

• Author: Russomanno, Herman J.
• Position: Florida Bar

Florida lawyers! Now is the time to seize the future to increase racial, gender, and ethnic diversity at all levels of the legal profession. By working with The Florida Bar, which is deeply committed to this endeavor, we shall achieve full and equal participation of minorities and women in the legal profession.

Ultimately, the success of our legal system depends on the public's trust and confidence that it dispenses justice fairly. Our paramount goal should be to shape a legal profession in Florida that represents and respects the communities it serves, and to accomplish this, we must promote diversity in our own profession.

Dr. Benjamin Hooks, a noted civil rights leader, recently stated, "Diversity will be the dominant issue of the 21st century." One of the major challenges of the new century is to build a profession that can effectively serve as the connecting link between our citizens and the rule of law. If we can strongly promote diversity, we will maintain the public's trust and confidence in our legal system.

The Florida Bar must pioneer the efforts to increase minority and gender participation in the Bar. We will hold an All Bar Conference to work on joint initiatives to provide an opportunity for local bar leaders, law firms, corporate law departments, municipal officials, and government law firms to improve diversity in our professional ranks. This call to action is essential if we are to achieve a multicultural profession which will elevate the public's attitude toward the rule of law. Our goal is that one day--in the not too distant future--diversity will no longer be an issue.

What can we do to support this effort? How can we catch this spirit of diversity? How do we feel this power of inclusion? An examination of the legal profession in Florida at the beginning of the last century shows that there were no minority lawyers and only two women lawyers, Lou Becca Pinnell and Alice Johnson. In 1950 there were fewer than 200 women practicing law. During this same time period, it is estimated that there were fewer than 25 black lawyers. Today, there are approximately 16,900 women lawyers who are members of The Florida Bar. A recent survey of the American Bar Association reveals that for the first time women in the year 2000 will outnumber men as incoming law school students.

Minorities have not fared as well. A recent survey conducted by the National Association for Law Placement reported that African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians...