About Minority Counsel Program - Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Minority Counsel Program

Introduction

In May 1988, the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession sponsored the development of a program designed to encourage corporations to retain lawyers of color for legal services.

Originally called the Minority Counsel Demonstration Program and later renamed the Minority Counsel Program, it achieved and maintained a high level of success for a number of years. In October 1998, the Minority Counsel Program leadership redefined the course of the program and revised its objectives. The result is the Minority Counsel Program with a renewed sense of purpose to assist corporations and racially and ethnically diverse lawyers to develop mutually rewarding business relationships through structured networking and opportunities for professional interaction.

Mission, Vision and Success

Mission: The American Bar Association Minority Counsel Program promotes diversity in the legal profession through education and by building relationships between corporations and lawyers who are racially and ethnically diverse.

Vision: Our vision is guided by the needs of our members, marketplace dynamics, and strong leadership with an eye toward full and equal participation in the legal profession by all.

Success: Our success is determined by the strength of the commitment of corporations and law firms to the goal of diversity. Through their commitment, our members will demonstrate the value of diversity in the marketplace.

Fulfilling our Mission

Facilitate contacts between corporate in-house counsel and racially and ethnically diverse lawyers for the specific purpose of developing mutually beneficial business relationships.
Provide opportunities for racially and ethnically diverse lawyers to establish and increase their representation in corporate and governmental entities.
Encourage majority firms to hire racially and ethnically diverse lawyers and assign significant legal projects to those lawyers.
Promote and enhance co-counsel arrangements and joint ventures between majority-owned and minority-owned firms.
Increase the visibility of minority counsel in public and private litigation.
Foster business opportunities for future generations of minority attorneys.

Goals

To promote the development of strong long-term business relationships between corporations and racially and ethnically diverse lawyers.
To provide lawyers the opportunity to demonstrate their substantive knowledge and skills through speaking engagements, panel discussions, continuing legal education programs and publications.
To serve as a leader in the mentoring of prospective and new lawyers.
To support pro bono activities by Minority Counsel Program members.
To promote the hiring and retention of racially and ethnically diverse lawyers.
To assist corporations and law firms to realize their diversity goals.
To review and assess the commitment of corporations and law firms to diversity.