Drake Law School Dedicates NBA Archives
Attendees of the ribbon-cutting event (L to R): David Maxwell, Vicky Long-Hill, Linnes Finney Jr., Vanita Banks, David Walker, Cleota Proctor Wilbekin, Elaine Estes, Dr. Lawrence “Lonnie” Howard, and John Edwards
In February, Drake University Law School celebrated the founding, history, and accomplishments of the National Bar Association (NBA) and dedicated the transfer of NBA archives from the Des Moines Public Library to the Opperman Law Library. A program was held at the NBA’s Archives Room, which was followed by the ribbon-cutting and reception.
The dedication commemorates the pioneering civil rights work of Charles Howard, a 1920 graduate of Drake Law School, and 11 other lawyers who co-founded the NBA in 1925 in Des Moines. The NBA was established because the American Bar Association did not accept African American lawyers as members at that time.
“The founding of the National Bar Association was an act of vision and promise, and the contributions and benefits of the NBA—to its members, to the communities in which its members have lived and practiced, to the legal profession generally and to our society—have been significant and enduring,” says David Walker, dean of the law school.
Minorities in N.Y. Law Firms—Update
In the January/February 2007 issue of Diversity & the Bar®, we reported that the New York office of Littler Mendelson, P.C. had no attorneys of color as partners or associates. The article “Missing in Action: New York City’s Minority Law Partners” was submitted to production in October 2006. Littler Mendelson has since advised MCCA that its N.Y. office has two associates of color: Lisa Norman and Jeanne Teng, both of whom were hired in 2006.
General Counsel Address Initiatives to Improve Diversity at Law Firms
More than 30 general counsel of top corporations, representing more than $2 billion in annual spending with law firms, gathered in New York for the all-day “Call to Action” summit regarding the diversity initiative.
The “Call to Action” was authored in late 2004 by Roderick Palmore, general counsel for Sara Lee Corporation, in an effort to encourage general counsel to advance the progress of diversity in the law firms with which they do business. More than 100 general counsel have signed the document, which can be found at www.clocalltoaction.com. Signatories pledge to end or limit their relationships with firms whose performance indicates a lack of meaningful interest in being diverse.
The planning committee included Dennis Broderick of Federated Department Stores, Inc.; James Potter of Del Monte Foods Company; Cathy Lamboley of Shell Oil Company; Tom Mars of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; James Diggs of PPG Industries; and Palmore. The summit was convened by Palmore and Diggs.
As a result of the gathering, supporters agreed to create a list of minimum requirements expected of signatories, develop a list of best practices, design a standard vehicle for the collection of data from law firms regarding their diversity performance, and share information regarding the diversity performance of outside counsel.
From the March/April 2007 issue of Diversity & The Bar®