Dimensions of Diversity

As a Black attorney, finding support through community can be critical in helping discover opportunities and find guidance in navigating the world as an underrepresented practitioner in the legal field. Today, that support can be found in the National Bar Association, the nation's oldest and largest network of Black American lawyers and judges, with a network of over 67,000 members. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by two local affiliate presidents of the National Bar Association. The first guest is Kristin Johnson, President at the Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia and a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor. The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia works to address the professional needs and development of Black lawyers in the City of Philadelphia through programs such as seminars, cultural events and publications. Lloyd also welcomes Roger Johnson, President at the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter National Bar Association and an associate attorney at Hamilton, Miller, & Birthisel.  

During their conversation, the trio discuss the career journey of a Black lawyer in America, what resources are available (and still needed) to support Black attorneys, and how individuals and organizations like the National Bar Association and others can get more Black children interested in the legal field. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by his colleague Leigh Whitaker, Principal, Government Relations, at Buchanan, to discuss the historic election of Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor and the city’s very first woman to hold the office, Cherelle Parker. 

Whitaker talks about what Parker’s appointment as Mayor means to her, discusses her role as a member of the Education Subcommittee on Mayor Parker’s Transition Team, and sheds light on what Philadelphia’s newest Mayor is prioritizing during her first 100 days in office. The duo round out their conversation by discussing the challenging road ahead for Mayor Parker and how working to actively try to be a part of solutions will go a long way towards building a future that the city of Philadelphia needs.

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.  

Learn more about Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney’s “Shades of Identity: Exploring Colorism in the Black Community” Webinar mentioned on this episode here: https://www.bipc.com/shades-of-identity-exploring-colorism-in-the-black-community  

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Kori Reed, author of Men-In-The-Middle: Conversations to Gain Momentum with Gender Equity’s Silent Majority. Through a series of one-on-one interviews with men across corporate America, Kori encourages male allies to speak up and become advocates for this important movement. 

During their conversation, Reed and Freeman discuss how much influence men, who hold nearly 80 percent of all C-suite positions, can have in moving gender equity forward. Reed discusses her findings that point towards a “silent majority” of men-in-the-middle on an imaginary bell curve who are aware of gender equity issues and their impacts but unsure of what to do or how to talk about them. The duo concludes their chat by talking about how important it is to cultivate and normalize inclusive conversations that bring all perspectives to the gender equity table.

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Sasha Buchert, Senior Attorney and Director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda Legal. Lambda Legal is the oldest and largest organization dedicated to advancing the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and individuals living with HIV. 

During their conversation, Lloyd and Sasha discuss the constant challenges that non-binary and transgender people face every day. Sasha shares her own experience with discrimination and how she is fighting to expand and solidify federal civil rights protections for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. The duo round out their conversation by talking about the immense work still needed to bring equality to the workplace and what allies and advocates can do to make an impact within their organizations and communities. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Molly Huie, Team Lead – Data, Legal Analytics & Business at Bloomberg Law. Huie has been instrumental in establishing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Framework at Bloomberg Law, a listing of law firms that meet or exceed a rising standard for diversity, equity, and inclusion in their firms. 

During their conversation, Huie and Freeman discuss both the progress that firms have made thus far in their commitment to DEI as well as the work still to be done. Huie shares the established criteria Bloomberg uses to benchmark industry diversity-related data, what a commitment to DEI means for a firm’s recruiting and retention efforts, and offers insights into the evolving legal workspace in a post-pandemic world. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Dave Poston, Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel of Poston Communications. Poston is a recognized leader in public relations and specifically, crisis communications.

During their conversation, Poston and Freeman discuss the challenges with modern crisis communications and the new pressures businesses are under to say the right thing both when something goes wrong and proactively from a social justice and/or civil rights perspective. Poston shares his perspective on how to form an effective crisis response, how the strategy has changed over the years, and why corporations should (and can) have a crisis plan in place for any issue that may arise. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Takema Robinson, CEO and Co-founder of Converge, a national social justice consulting firm, whose purpose is to accelerate the creation of a radically just new world where communities of color thrive. Through her work, Robinson helps shape strategic philanthropy and policy advocacy for a true global impact. 

During the discussion, Robinson and Freeman discuss how Converge helps create change within communities, the role younger generations have in effecting that change, the importance of social and political education in enacting social justice reform and more. The duo also discuss the value of finding success amid adversity in this arena as well as what it means to be a community organizer in today’s current social environment.  

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman hosts Terry Roberts, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), for a live, in-person discussion on how to run a D&I program at a large, international retailer. Prior to his seven years at AEO, Terry spent time with FedEx in the company’s employment law group and also as a senior associate at Buchanan. 

During the episode, the two talk about the challenges of bringing about change in a large company and what the roadmap looks like for operationalizing a D&I program. Lloyd and Terry also discuss the importance of finding advocates, creating trust, and how to overcome roadblocks. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.  

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman welcomes Daniel Mateo, President of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), to discuss the origins and aims of the HNBA and his vision for the organization during his tenure. 

During their conversation, Lloyd and Dan also discuss the HNBA’s initiatives and the lack of Hispanic representation across U.S. board rooms and what needs to be done to improve those figures to ensure a more accurate representation of the workforce. The episode closes with a conversation on the importance of mentorship and sponsorship of diverse individuals. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Dr. Oscar Holmes, IV, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Associate Professor, and Director, Rutgers University Student Executive (RUSE) Program. Dr. Holmes specializes in human resources/organizational behavior with a focus on how leaders can maximize productivity and well-being by fostering more inclusive environments that mitigate interpersonal and organizational threats. 

Throughout their discussion, Lloyd and Dr. Holmes get into the psychology of business as it relates to diversity and inclusion programs, the theories behind organizational shifts, “diversity variety,” psychological safety and much more. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.