Our Mission

The mission of the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition is to create a culture of inclusion and highlight diversity successes and initiatives in the Pittsburgh legal community; and to educate and assist Pittsburgh area legal employers in increasing the hiring, retention, and inclusion of legal professionals from a variety of diverse backgrounds.

A small group of Pittsburgh lawyers from a number of different firms and law departments began meeting in 2015 to consider how the legal community might work together to increase diversity and foster inclusion. The idea was that the ability to attract and retain diverse lawyers depended not only on the individual efforts of firms and law departments but on the environment of the legal community as a whole. Participating employers would, for this purpose, put aside their competitive instincts, learn from each other, and by pooling resources, each have access to best practices and the best thinking in the field.

After more than a year spent imagining what such a collaborative effort might look like, the group was ready to put their idea to the test. They thought that even a collaboration among just 10 members might be able to make a difference to the community as a whole. Today, the Coalition boasts more than 55 dues-paying and affiliate members, including many of the most prominent Pittsburgh law firms and law departments.

The Coalition is committed to working collaboratively not only among its members but also with the many other organizations working to promote diversity in the legal community and the city. Its members know that promoting diversity is an economic imperative for the region, that if Western Pennsylvania cannot attract and retain people of all races and with all kinds of backgrounds that it will not attract the talented people it needs to thrive.

What is Diversity?

Diversity arises from the differences among us. Some of these differences are apparent and some are not; some we are born with and cannot change. When apparent differences are immutable, cultural assumptions that we may have learned from the media, our communities and our families are difficult to escape. It is for this reason that diversity initiatives tend to concentrate on the apparent and immutable differences among us. However, all of us are different one from the other and all of us, therefore, are in one respect or another, diverse. It is for this reason that all of us have a stake in creating an inclusive environment in our organizations.

What is Inclusion?

Inclusion welcomes all of us, regardless of our differences, into the room, onto the team and around the lunch table. It requires us to learn about and value differences and treat everyone as equally worthy of respect. Inclusion creates a collaborative environment that values participation by individuals with different ideas and perspectives and provides the same access to opportunities and resources to everyone, enabling every lawyer and staff member to contribute fully to their organization’s success.

Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is transforming the mix into a team.

Become a member and help us ignite and promote change in our community.

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