Technology’s Impact on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Legal Profession

The pandemic has dramatically increased the use of technology in the legal profession. Recently, the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court issued rules endorsing the use of virtual hearings, trials, and depositions and a major law firm has announced that its attorneys can work from anywhere indefinitely. Some see this shift to remote work and court proceedings as a potential watershed moment for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession and an opportunity for women attorneys and attorneys of color. Our panel, led by the Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, of the New York Supreme Court, will discuss:

• The state of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession (10 minutes)
• The shift to remote court proceedings – pros, cons, and challenges (10 minutes)
• The effect of the pandemic on the legal profession and potential creation of opportunities for diverse attorneys (15 minutes)
• The potential disparate impact of AI, biometric data, and other emerging technologies on women and people of color and ways to address algorithmic bias (10 minutes)
• Tips for junior attorneys, women attorneys, and attorneys of color appearing remotely in court proceedings (15 minutes)

Faculty:

Tracee E. Davis

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Gail Gottehrer

Law Office of Gail Gottehrer LLC

Barbara Graves-Poller

Corporation Counsel of the City of Kingston

Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy

Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Department

Mirna Martinez Santiago

Girls Rule the Law, Inc.