The Social justice and the Law Project was a research project conducted by the Jones Center for Race, Gender and Social Justice in collaboration with the UC Institute for Policy and Research (UC-IPR) and funded by the Ohio State Bar Foundation and Women in Law at the University of Cincinnati. The purpose of the project was to promote understanding of the rule of law and social justice within the community broadly and within the legal community in Ohio.
This project intended to work with the legal profession of Ohio in two primary ways: 1) providing benchmark data and analysis on racial inclusivity and equity within the profession (gathered from those within the legal profession who were registered with an Ohio bar association) and 2) incorporating some of those findings into a workshop targeted to those in the legal field.
Survey Results
Survey respondents were invited to participate via their local bar associations. The survey website was open for participation between 11/1/23 and 12/12/23, and a total of 179 Ohio legal professionals responded to the survey. The largest number of respondents (96) reported affiliation with the Cincinnati Bar Association listserv. Respondents were asked a series of questions about the characteristics of their workplace and the makeup of their staff in terms of race, gender, sexuality, etc.
Generally, respondents found that being a part of a minority or historically oppressed group (identifying as a woman, LGBTQ+, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other non-white ethnic and racial identities) makes it harder to be successful as an attorney in Ohio. Most respondents indicated that they believe the legal profession in Ohio does not reflect the population in terms of race and gender but that it should reflect the population in terms of race and gender. Thus, project organizers sought to address the importance of DEI initiatives in increasing diversity within the workplace.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Lawyering in Ohio Workshop
Based on the survey results, the workshop was structured to address the importance of DEI in the legal profession and to provide tangible ways to improve DEI within the workplace. While the original intent of the project was to develop a workshop addressing social justice within the legal field, the survey results revealed a gap in awareness of the benefits and importance of DEI on workplace culture and the success of attorneys, firms, and their clients. The workshop aimed to lay a strong foundation in DEI principles and provide practical strategies for integrating DEI into daily legal practice. The curriculum includes sessions on:
- Introduction to DEI: Defining diversity, equity, and inclusion and their relevance in the legal profession.
- Benefits of DEI: Exploring how DEI initiatives can improve workforce dynamics and client satisfaction.
- Promoting DEI: Practical strategies illustrating successful DEI implementation on an individual and organizational level.
This project was designed for facilitators to replicate the workshop at other legal practices throughout Ohio. The workshop materials include two sets of PowerPoint slides, one with and one without optional activities for participants. The workshop is intended to last for approximately one hour but can increase in duration with the use of activities and discussion. The materials also include a facilitator guidebook that coincides with the PowerPoint slides. The guidebook provides further insights into how the survey results informed the workshop and offers tips for facilitators, such as setting the tone and questions to encourage conversation. Both sets of PowerPoint slides and the facilitator guidebook are available for download below.
If you have questions about the project and/or its materials, please reach out to us!