In 2017, Kutak Rock attorneys began attending anti-bias, anti-racist seminars hosted by firm client U.S. Bank Community Development Corporation in conjunction with Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training.
Wanting to continue the conversation, the firm trained a group of attorneys and staff to be facilitators for small dialogue groups reading Dr. Dolly Chugh’s book The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias. The guided discussions gave attorneys and staff the language and knowledge they needed to begin or continue their anti-bias, anti-racism journeys.
In September 2020, after the firm’s entire Executive Committee completed the first Dolly Chugh dialogue group, Kutak Rock reached out to U.S. Bank’s Law Division and Crossroads to design a program aimed at addressing issues within large law firms and corporate legal departments.
Specifically, Kutak Rock wanted a seminar with more information about how racism and bias in the legal system have impacted and continue to impact equity and equal opportunity—particularly in asset development, financing transactions, and the day-to-day work of large legal organizations. The firm also wanted to create a seminar that explored what can be done to create change at organizational and industry levels.
In June 2021, with the full support of firm leadership, Kutak Rock piloted the Large Legal Anti-Bias Anti-Racism (LLABAR) seminar with Crossroads and members of the U.S. Bank Law Division. To date, 105 Kutak Rock employees and 111 employees of other law firms and legal departments have graduated from one or more of 13 seminars. The program has received overwhelmingly positive reviews.
The day-long seminar is now open to anyone in the legal industry. Times are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CST on the following dates:
- April 11
- June 20
- August 15
CLE credit has been approved in several states. For more information, please contact the Inclusive Engagement Department.