Nowhere has diversity been more prominent than in this year’s presidential election process thanks to the candidates: a septuagenarian (Sen. John McCain), an African-American (Sen. Barack Obama), a Hispanic (Governor Bill Richardson), a female (Sen. Hillary Clinton) and a Mormon (Gov. Mitt Romney). All of these individuals were qualified and brought a rich and innovative thought process to how to make this country and world better. Notably, the two leading Democratic candidates during the primary both were lawyers.
Diversity–a voluntary measure put into effect in workplaces, educational institutions, major corporations and businesses–is as needed today as it was 20 years ago. When it comes to diversity, the 2000 U.S. Census reveals that the legal profession lags behind all other professions. There are more minority doctors, engineers and civil service workers in the U.S. than there are minority lawyers. It is time for the legal profession to stop plodding around and pick up the pace.
