(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Imagine leveraging all the power and might of Biglaw, and law firms in general, in order to fight racism, Well, imagine no more, Over 125 firms (so far!) have signed onto the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) and it includes some of the biggest and most prestigious firms in the country. According to the LFAA charter, the purpose of the group is to “leverage the resources of the private bar to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism, to better use the law as a vehicle for change that benefits communities of color and to promote racial equity in the law and in government institutions.”
As reported by Law.com, Kimberly Jones Merchant and the Racial Justice Institute and Racial Justice Network at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law is the LFAA’s initial point, and she said the increased resources for their work will be able to make a real difference:
She said that while efforts to facilitate change on a systemic level have received temporary support in the past, the disproportionately dire effects of COVID-19 on Blacks as well as the murder of George Floyd galvanized efforts in a way that had not been present previously.
“APBCO [The Association of Pro Bono Counsel] and other organizations like the EJI [Equal Justice Initiative] bring advocates to the table,” Jones Merchant said. “But they have constrained resources and can’t operate at the ‘high’ levels. Now we have those resources behind us.”
The LFAA plans on holding two summits this year, and Jones Merchant anticipates a steep learning curve, what with so many well-meaning allies having to unlearn a lot about privilege and race:
“We are going to have some bumps in the road,” Jones Merchant said. “It is an experiment, and both sides are going to have to make adjustments. We are going to learn from each other. Pro bono counsel will have to learn a lot about systemic racism.”
Still it is a great step forward, and it’s exciting to imagine what such a talent group of lawyers can accomplish when racism is the target of their efforts.
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).