Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: What Attorneys Need To Know — 1 North Carolina Professional Responsibility Credit

In this May 24, 2023 one-hour Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program, Indira K. Sharma, Esquire explains why DEI is important to achieving a firm's business goals and to increasing profitability. She addresses the concepts of unconscious and implicit bias and the effects of these innate biases in the firm environment. Finally, Ms. Sharma provides practical strategies to attract and retain diverse talent to your firm.

Ms. Sharma is a Partner of Saul Ewing LLP, Baltimore office. She represents businesses in a wide range of litigation, from complex contract and commercial disputes to matters involving commercial leases and real estate. She also advises business clients on management of early-stage conflicts and strategies for preventing and avoiding litigation. Her experience as a trial attorney includes handling matters in both state and federal court, as well as resolving cases through settlement. Ms. Sharma served as Chair of Saul Ewing's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee for many years and has been a driving force behind the firm's commitment to hiring, promoting, and retaining women, ethnically and racially diverse, and LGBTQ+ attorneys, as well as achieving Mansfield certification. She is a frequent speaker on topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Major topics include:
Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is important to your firm's business goals
The basic concepts of DEI in the law firm, including innate implicit bias
Assessing your implicit bias and how implicit bias affects your practice
Strategies for addressing implicit bias and improving DEI outcomes in the law firm setting

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