In 2017, before “Black Lives Matter” became a household phrase, 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 US 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 there have been six sessions with 60 Kutak Rock and 59 US Bank employees participating in the seven-hour seminar. The program has received overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Beginning in March 2022, the day-long seminar will now be open to anyone in the legal industry. Times are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CST on the following dates: 

• March 30 
• April 28 
• May 11 
• June 15 
• July 14 
• August 10 
• September 14 
• September 22 

CLE credit has been approved in several states. For more information, please contact Inclusiveness and Diversity Manager Miriam Blair.