On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, Eric Holder, the nation’s first African American U.S. Attorney General boldly stated, the United States is a “nation of cowards” for failing to have candid discussions on matters of race. Holder’s comments were made while addressing an overflow crowd celebrating Black History Month at the U.S. Justice Department.
On Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, more than 200 local Jacksonville attorneys attended the first Jacksonville Bar Diversity Symposium at Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL). The featured speaker was Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente, who has championed diversity in both her personal and professional life, addressed an overflow crowd at FCSL. For the past decade she has been a strong advocate for diversity from the Florida Supreme Court and she has spoken on these diversity issues in several forums, but she commented that she was extremely impressed with the turnout.
The symposium was conducted in a panel format after watching the Florida Bar’s Diversity DVD “Changing Faces of Justice.” The panels consisted of several distinguished jurist including former Florida Bar Presidents Howard Coker of Jacksonville and Frank Angones from Miami; Jacksonville native Judge Fred Hazouri of the Fourth District Court of Appeals; Duval County Judges Pauline Drake and Roberto Arias and Circuit Court Judge Mallory Cooper, along with several prominent local attorneys.
In the summer of 2008, while having lunch with several judges visiting from Argentina, Jacksonville Bar President Joe Camerlengo, asked that I serve as chair of the Jacksonville Bar’s Diversity Committee, which was to be made up of current and past leaders and members of the various bar organizations such as the Perkins Bar, Asian Bar, Hispanic Bar, Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association along with several past presidents of the Jacksonville Bar and Florida Bar.
Camerlengo not only created this Diversity Committee, but he immediately recognized and whole-heartedly embraced the benefits of promulgating diversity. He was instrumental in recruiting former Florida Bar President Howard Coker in becoming an active organizer of this symposium in his hometown of Jacksonville, also affectionately known as the “Redneck Riviera.” Justice Pariente’s participation as featured speaker of the Diversity Symposium was secured by Coker. Camerlengo’s herculean efforts not only sought the help of the local bar members, but also tapped into the Florida Bar’s Diversity Committee Chaired by Ray Abadin of Miami. To insure adequate attendance to this first ever Symposium, the leaders of the various organizations were personally challenged to include members from within their various organizations at the symposium.
Contrary to Holder’s belief of lack of candor in race discussions, our Diversity Symposium addressed diversity issues head on. Judge Arias stressed the importance of having diverse representation on the judiciary and within the Bar as a way to validate the fairness and justice of legal system for all. Hazouri echoed these same sentiments as member of the Fourth District Court of Appeals. When asked if the panel supported “quotas,” when considering applicants to judicial positions, Judge Pauline Drake, stated that applicants should be considered on their individual merits, qualifications and personal skills, regardless of race or gender. She further stated that she would not want to be considered for any position merely because of her race or gender. However, she, as well as all of the panelists, agreed that local bar organizations should identify, encourage and develop potential candidates early on in the process. Don Jones of Florida Coastal law School stated that when considering applicants to the judiciary, a more diverse pool of candidates should be considered, extending at least, interview opportunities to candidates who may not have been considered by mere paper applications.
Evan Yegelwel from our panelist of practicing attorneys stressed that, diversity in the workplace is not just the politically correct thing, but the right thing to do. Former Florida Bar President Frank Angones reminded us of diversity, in cosmopolitan South Florida wasn’t always the case. Michelle Bedoya of Holland & Knight shared some of the diversity initiatives that the country’s largest firm, Holland & Knight was implementing as a smart business practice. Ray Reid reiterated diversity in the legal workforce is not only the right to do, but for law firms to grow, thrive and succeed, it is the smart business practice.
Jacksonville native, attorney A. Wellington Barlow, was pleased and impressed with the turnout to the Diversity Symposium, and reminded us that we should not forget the injustices of the past, while striving for a better, more diverse tomorrow. Professor Tan of Florida Coastal Law School reminded us that diversity is not just black/white issues, but that there are other ethnic groups that fall under the umbrella of diversity such as Asians and Muslims. Diversity discussions should not be just about race, gender and ethnicity, but should include disabilities, religion and yes sexual orientation.
As Coker succinctly stated at the symposium, “Yes, we (The Jacksonville Bar and Florida Bar) have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go,” and all in attendance will undoubtedly agree, that this symposium is the first step of many more to come in the right direction to promulgate diversity.
Finally this Jacksonville Bar Diversity would boldly extend an open invitation to Attorney General Eric Holder to join our candid discussions on diversity by being our guest speaker next year in 2010.