Alan Bowie Jr. Courtesy photo

Born and raised in New Haven, 28-year-old Alan Bowie Jr. will take the helm of the 100-member George W. Crawford Black Bar Association as one of its youngest president ever.

Bowie, who begins the one-year term Wednesday, takes office amid two national crises facing the Black community: a massive call for police reform in the wake of the May 25 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and the COVID-19 epidemic's disproportionate effects on communities of color.

Bowie, who has been an associate at Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey for almost four years, said he's a strong supporter of making Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in this country, a holiday. But he also said law firms need to "double down and take additional steps to create a more welcoming and comfortable environment for attorneys from diverse backgrounds."

A member of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association for four years, Bowie graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2016. He sat with the Connecticut Law Tribune to answer five questions.

The answers have been edited for space and clarity.

Connecticut Law Tribune: Since 2017, you have been a member of the Connecticut Bar Association's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Where is the bar today with regard to diversity and inclusion, and what still needs to be done?

Alan Bowie Jr.: As a result of the hard work and vision of the committee, at least 38 organizations have signed onto the Connecticut Legal Community's Diversion and Inclusion Pledge and Plan.

Through this pledge, the committee can track diversity at the organizations and hold them accountable for increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. This is a huge step in solving the diversity issue, however, more work must be done.

It is no secret the number of Black law firm partners, and partners from other diverse backgrounds, has been virtually the same for the past 40 years. The same can be said for black attorneys with high-level positions at nonlaw firms. I can name each of the Black law firm partners, executive directors and general counsels at each legal organization and can likely count them on less than two full hands.

Further, I practice in a city where there has not been, at least to my knowledge, a single Black associate promoted to partner at a major law firm. This is problematic and can likely be said for any diverse category of attorney.

To spur meaningful change and to fix the diversity problem, we must make diversity, equity and inclusion a top priority. Legal organizations must determine why diversity matters to them and be honest about their diversity issues.

What are your immediate short-term goals as association president?

Bowie: Given the limitations created by COVID-19, my most immediate short-term goal is to continue to provide our normal programming to our members and service to the community.

Bar associations have been impacted severely by the pandemic, as we largely operate by hosting large in-person meetings. To observe social-distancing protocols and other legal requirements, it will be necessary to move to an entirely virtual platform until further notice.

Substantively, one of my primary goals is to focus on the second point of Crawford's mission, which is "to focus attention on legal, political and social issues which affect members of the Black community, and to address those issues as a unified body."

During my tenure as president, Crawford will work actively with its various partners to address issues of institutional racism, anti-Blackness generally and police brutality. Further, as this is an election year, Crawford will be active in the upcoming national and local elections and will continue to advocate for policy reforms that affect the Black community.

The CBA has established the policing task force, which will, among other things, facilitate conversations with a diverse group of community leaders, law enforcement officials and attorneys to hear concerns and discuss potential solutions and recommend police reforms. What will your role be with the task force, as Crawford president, and are you optimistic there can be lasting change?

Bowie: In general, my role on the task force is to represent Crawford and to communicate its position. On a personal level, I bring to the task force the perspective of a Black male who has grown up in one of Connecticut's largest cities, has developed his own views and perspective on policing reform based on that experience, and I happen to be a lawyer.

The task force is comprised of a diverse group of individuals—attorneys, law enforcement and community members—who bring with them a diverse set of experiences and are motivated to create change.

Many large law firms across the country have announced in recent weeks their plans to commemorate Juneteenth, and make that day a holiday for employees. What would you advise law firms in Connecticut and how should they mark that day beginning in 2021?

Bowie: I would advise Connecticut law firms that celebrating Juneteenth can be a very positive step for diversity, equity and inclusion, but the decision must be made in earnest.

There is great power in being more inclusive in the holidays we choose to celebrate. One common issue with increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in law firms is that attorneys from diverse backgrounds often do not feel welcome.

Celebrating more diverse holidays, such as Juneteenth, can make Black attorneys feel more welcome. However, the celebration must be genuine.

Further, I encourage firms to double down and take additional steps to create a more welcoming and comfortable environment for attorneys from diverse backgrounds.

What's one area in which the Crawford Black Bar Association can or needs to improve and be specific?

Bowie: I would like to see Crawford continue to engage with the other Connecticut affinity bar associations and the Connecticut and local bar associations.

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Crawford has worked closely with the affinity and Connecticut bar associations to address police brutality. In my position, I have observed these relationships are powerful and can lead to change and meaningful conversations with our various partners. I would like to see Crawford build on this synergy in other areas.

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