Why the PLDIC?
The Need
An office of equity, a next generation economy for all, and a just Pittsburgh. Our government, our business community and our foundations all recognize the vital importance of diversity, inclusion and equity for the future of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region and its economy.
No matter how many great restaurants, trendy shops and Strip District condominiums we build, if we do not increase our population, none of this may be sustainable over time. And we will never be able to increase our population if we are not attentive to the need to retain and attract diverse people.
At the forefront of the legal community’s response to this challenge.
Lawyers are leaders, after all, and it is time for us to do our part to secure the region’s future and, in the process, build a more dynamic legal community.
If we want to continue to attract the best talent to our law firms and law departments, we know that more and more of it will be diverse and that more and more young people, regardless of their race, want to live in a diverse city and work in diverse organizations.
But it won’t be easy. Diversity begets more diversity and we start from a position of less diversity. So we have to work harder at it and work smarter. The members of the Coalition have decided that that means working together. That’s why we’ve come together and we invite you to join us.
How We Can Help
What we have learned over the many decades during which the legal profession has sought to become more diverse is that simply wishing it won’t make it so. Even being sincerely committed to it is not enough. Diversity and inclusion must be worked on like any other professional challenge: through study, research, collaboration, and continuous learning. Often through trial and error.
Not every law firm and law department has the luxury of being able to devote staff to this exercise; to bring in the best thinkers, trainers and consultants in the field; to be able to experiment, fail and then to try something different. But by pooling our resources, our knowledge and our experience, we are able to raise all boats, to the benefit of us all.
