DIVERSITY COMMITTEE 2010 STRATEGIC AND ACTION PLAN Prepared 6.7.10 Mission Statement Promoting diversity in the profession shall be a priority of the Forum. The mission of the Forum s Diversity Committee is to raise awareness and understanding among our members and others of the vital role diversity plays in the construction industry, both nationally and globally. The Diversity Committee s mission includes enhancing participation, inclusion and leadership opportunities for attorneys of diverse backgrounds in Forum programs, publications and other initiatives. The Committee will also educate our membership on how diversity impacts the practice of construction law. Initial Actions and Recommendations for Governing Committee Consideration and Approval The Diversity Committee shall be established as a Standing Committee of the Forum to ensure implementation of the Forum s goals on Diversity. The Diversity Committee will administer and take over responsibilities of the Fellowship Program, including solicitation of candidates for the Fellowship Program, and managing the selected Fellows to ensure engagement and participation in opportunities within the Forum. 1
Strategic Initiatives for 2010-2015 The Diversity s Goals, Priorities and Metrics are set forth in the attached Chart. The Diversity Committee will implement a Strong Subcommittee Structure to implement its strategic initiatives and refine its actions and measure success as required. Consistent with our plan, the Subcommittee structure will include: Fellowship Subcommittee: Primary responsibility for the Fellowship program, including choosing candidates for future programs, and following the Fellows through their fellowship to make sure they are participating and are engaged. Demographics Subcommittee: Primary role of gathering accurate data on our member statistics and making recommendations as to goals and targets for membership, leadership. Outreach Subcommittee: Identify opportunities with other diverse bar organizations for membership, programs and publications opportunities, and for information sharing. This would include establishing Liaisons with the various ABA and other diverse bar associations, such as the ABA Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, the Commission on Women in the Professional, National Association of Women Lawyers, the Commission on Mental and Physical Disabilities Law, etc. Mentoring and Leadership Development Subcommittee: Charged with identifying current diverse members and specifically targeting those individuals for getting involved with the Forum to build the pipeline for leadership within the Forum. This may include establishing Liaisons to Divisions, Membership, Publications and Programs committees to make sure that diverse members are being considered for opportunities for speaking, writing, editing, steering committees, and program cochairs, as examples. 2
Diversity Committee Strategic Initiatives for 2010-2015 OUR VISION OUR DIVERSITY GOALS OUR PRIORITIES OUR METRICS Programs Every Forum Program will include Speakers and Participants from Diverse Backgrounds, and will communicate the Forum s Priority of Inclusion and Diversity. Ensure that Forum Programming regularly communicates, educates and reflects the Forum s commitment to provide meaningful and consistent opportunities for Diverse Lawyers within the Forum. The Annual Meeting of each Forum Year will include a standing program on Elimination of Bias and Affirmative Training and Education on Diversity in the Profession, and the Forum s Diversity Goals and Progress. Provide meaningful and increasing opportunities to Diverse Construction Lawyers to speak and participate in all Forum Programs. Through our Programs, Regularly Educate and Communicate to Forum Membership on Diversity goals Examine each program for Diversity inclusion and Establish a Subcommittee/Liaison within the Diversity Committee to participate with all Program Co-Chairs and GC Liaisons for consideration of Diverse Program Topics and Inclusion of Diverse Speakers and Participants as part of Every Forum Program. Develop a Roster of Potential Diverse Construction Lawyers to participate in Forum Programs, and actively recruit and support the participation of those lawyers as speakers 3
Require Diversity Participation. Develop Joint programs for Forum and other Diverse bar groups and participants. Include in the Fall and Annual Programs Networking and Recognition Events Honoring Diversity [Similar to Reception Honoring Women in Construction with some improvements.] Develop or sponsor at least one program per year with a Diverse Bar Association as part of Programs and Outreach. Publications Every Forum Publication will include Authors, Editors and Participants from Diverse Backgrounds, and will communicate the Forum s Priority of Inclusion and Diversity. Ensure that Forum Publications regularly communicate, educate and reflect the Forum s commitment to provide meaningful and consistent opportunities for Diverse Lawyers within the Forum. Provide meaningful and increasing opportunities to Diverse Construction Lawyers to write, publish, edit and participate in all Forum Publications. At least once per year, The Construction Lawyer will include a discussion (e.g., Comments from the Chair) or an article on a Diversity Related Topic. Establish a Subcommittee or Liaison within the Diversity Committee to participate with Publications for the Inclusion of Diverse Speakers and Participations as part of Every Forum Program. Develop a Roster of Potential 4
Examine all Publication projects for Diversity inclusion and Require Diversity Participation. Diverse Construction Lawyers to participate in Forum Publications and actively recruit and support the participation of those lawyers as authors, editors and participants. Through our Publications, Regularly Educate and Communicate to Forum Membership on Diversity goals People Forum Membership will include, at all levels, construction lawyers from Diverse Backgrounds and Perspectives, and Forum Leadership will actively and regularly recruit, develop and advance Diverse Construction Lawyers and achieve true Diversity with the Forum. The Diversity Committee will become a Formal Standing Committee within the Forum, as the first step in communicating the Forum s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion in Membership and Leadership. The Fellowship Committee will become a Subcommittee or Function of the Diversity Committee. Enhance the Fellowship Program to provide for additional participation as appropriate as well as tracking and development of Fellows. Identify Diverse Lawyers within the Construction Bar who are not Members or Active Members of the Forum and Develop Recruiting Plan to target these Diverse Lawyers for Membership Identify and Monitor Diverse Members within the Forum Create a Subcommittee/Liaison to Membership Committee for coordination and 5
communication of Diverse Membership Objectives. Gather Reliable Data on Current Diverse Membership and Leadership within the Forum, and Identify Areas of Improvement and Targeted Efforts to increase Diverse opportunities and inclusion. Develop a survey process or other mechanism for gathering membership demographics, and encouraging candid and open response. Develop a process for tracking Diverse Members, including Retention and Participation and a Feed Back Program. Increase that Leadership Criteria emphasizes and requires Diversity (e.g., Increase Participation on Steering Committees of Each Division). Create and Implement a Leadership Development Programs for Targeting 6
Diverse Membership for Inclusion in Divisions, Forum Committees, and for Publication and Programs. Create and Implement a Mentoring System for Diverse Members Appoint a Liaison to the Young Lawyers Committee Continue but Improve Reception Honoring Women in the Profession Set up Regular Networking Events Honoring and Recognizing Diversity within the Forum (similar to Reception Honoring Women in Construction but will some awards). Identify Barriers (e.g., Cost) to inclusion and develop programs to eliminate or mitigate barriers (e.g., lower fees for government lawyers, etc.) Developing affinity events (inperson and online) 7
Establish Subcommittees/Liaisons for working with sister ABA Groups (e.g., Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, Commission on Women in the Profession, etc.) and other National or Local Diverse Bar Associations. Through our Programs, educate Forum Leadership and improve information dissemination (benefits and opportunities) of Diversity Inclusion Every Year, the Annual Planning Retreat will include a specific program for Forum Leadership on Diversity Progress and Education. 8