One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 on Diversity and Recognizing Opportunities to Level the Playing Field

Studies show that the 2008 recession disproportionately impacted diverse lawyers and there is growing concern that we will face the same issue in the wake of COVID-19. On July 9th, Winston & Strawn, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), and ArbitralWomen hosted a webinar on the importance of doubling down on diversity in challenging times, and the ways that law firms, users of dispute resolution processes, and institutions can harness pandemic-era work habits for positive change.

This webinar explored:

• Why COVID-19, like the Credit Crunch, threatens to undermine progress on the diversity front in the legal profession;
• How law firms and organizations can protect diversity gains and ensure that diverse employees continue to thrive during a crisis and beyond;
• The role played by institutions and users of dispute resolution processes in continuing to drive the diversity agenda forward;
• How law firms, organizations and institutions can best capitalize on opportunities presented by the pandemic to maintain and build more diverse teams.