Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Take SXSW

Local Bar Associations Promote Better Workplace Culture

BY ROSWILL MEJIA

Promoting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a responsibility we all share. That’s the message shared at South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the largest entertainment festivals in the world, as the Austin Bar Association and LGBT Section of the Austin Bar served as co-sponsors of a DEI panel. The message was clear: The more firms and attorneys engage in the conversation, the better they will be in retaining staff and representing clients from diverse backgrounds. The “DEI-takes- SXSW” event was a success, with thoughtful conversation about best practices to address the issue in the legal community.

Panelists included Mindy Gulati, Austin Bar Association Equity Committee co-chair; Bismarck Myrick, a senior executive for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) currently overseeing the USPTO Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity in Alexandra, Virginia; and Demarron Berkley, an attorney from Google whose practice focuses on litigating through trial and appeal of intellectual property and complex commercial matters.

When we all know the same things and think about them the same way, we limit our capacity for problem-solving and are blind to our gaps in understanding.

The group identified ways to make DEI a call to action and not just a philosophy in the workplace:

• Proactively engage in this work to see real change, especially those of us who are not in underrepresented groups. The burden should not always fall onto those who are marginalized; it is all our work.

• Normalize sharing our unique stories and perspectives— celebrate our similarities AND differences.

• Go beyond just hiring practices to ensure that those practices are creating diverse and inclusive environments: Who are you retaining, developing, and investing in? Who are you promoting? What groups have power in your organization (i.e., who’s represented at the decision-making level)?

• Solicit feedback from those who identify as part of other groups when making decisions that affect all employees.

• Provide mentorship opportunities to help promote inclusivity. Attorney and participant

Roswill Mejia of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin says the event serves as a great reminder of what’s important in the legal community.

“Diverse perspectives increase knowledge and innovation. When we all know the same things and think about them the same way, we limit our capacity for problem-solving and are blind to our gaps in understanding.”

Event sponsors included the Austin Bar Association, Austin Asian American Bar Association, Austin Black Lawyers Association, Hispanic Bar Association of Austin, LGBT Law Section of the Austin Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association of Austin, and Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association. AL

Attorney Rosewill Mejia focuses on alternative dispute resolution, and business, consumer, creditordebtor, and health care litigation. She is an active member of the Hispanic Bar Association.