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Well, this is simultaneously unexpected and great. Fresh off an early statement on the murder of George Floyd, Skadden Arps — one of the most prestigious law firms in the country — has made another move in the battle for social justice.
Today, the firm’s managing partner, Eric Friedman, sent an all-employee email announcing that Juneteenth will be observed as a firm holiday.
Skadden is pleased to announce that next Friday (June 19) we will observe Juneteenth as a Firm holiday. Juneteenth is a national day of celebration memorializing the end of slavery in the United States. It was in 1865, on June 19th, that enslaved black people in Texas learned that the Civil War had ended and that they were free, more than two years after the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation.
We hope this day will provide an opportunity for us to pause from our daily routines to reflect on issues around racism and its impact on our country.
In the grand scheme of fighting systemic racism in this country, is this a relatively minor step? Yes. Is it an awesome thing? Also, yes.
Celebrating Juneteenth is a good thing. Too many kids grow up never even learning about the holiday. The fictional character of Dre Johnson on Black-ish even said the country acknowledging the day almost feels like “an apology.” I wouldn’t go quite that far (seems like there’s a lot more work to do to atone for slavery), but it does serve as an important reminder that our country is built on a legacy of slavery — and that legacy is part of the daily lives of black people in America.
Listen, Biglaw is noted for being a cutthroat place where the bottom line is *the* most important thing. Taking a step back from legal work to commemorate the day and encouraging all employees to reflect on the legacy of slavery sends a important signal from the top of the firm that this is an important issue. Yes, other firms have tried to celebrate Juneteenth in the past, but to Above the Law’s knowledge, this is the first time a major Biglaw firm has declared the day a holiday.
Hopefully, it won’t be the last.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).