Adrian Delancy, Markowitz, Ringel, Trusty & Hartog

In preparing to write this article I Googled “diversity in the legal profession,” and no shortage of articles popped-up.

In fact, I stopped reading after several minutes as a common theme soon emerged: there simply doesn't appear to be much of it, and there's no consensus as to what should be done about it.

This is certainly not a new topic. I recall similar questions being posed long ago as law schools and law firms grappled with issues such as affirmative action, diversity policies and strategies for building inclusive and representative legal practices.

Because we are a nation of laws, our society functions best when law firms, like the justice system in general, adequately and proportionately reflect the people who comprise it.

When we look beneath the surface, it seems diversity is an ideal and seldom a reality. Nearly every website boasts its firm's unflinching commitment to diversity. The numbers, however, tell a different story. Numerous articles chronicle the lagging numbers of minority and women attorneys and partners in relation to the prevailing demographics.

Much like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream for America, diversity in the legal profession is a perpetual work-in-progress: “we've come a long way, but still have a long way to go.” Sound familiar?

This brings me to the point of introspection. How has my firm, where I've practiced law for the past 12 years, handled diversity? The numbers break down as follows:

• Out of a total of 15 attorneys, 7 are women, 4 are Hispanic, 2 are Asian and 1 is African American;
• Out of 7 total partners, 2 are women (including a Korean female) and 1 is an African American male;
• Out of 4 shareholder/equity partners, 1 is female;
• Of our 15 attorneys, eight, or 53%, are women and minorities.

Perhaps our commitment to diversity is best summed up by this statement which is part of our diversity policy: “We refuse to be defined as just another law firm because we are more than that. The firm's logo — anchored by a large plus sign — exemplifies this view by reminding us that we are never just one thing and that we always can — and will — do more. We are lawyers + community advocates. We are professionals + family members. We are teachers + students.

These roles shape us and provide us the ability to be more than just attorneys with a singular perspective. Above all, we are professionals with a broad spectrum of knowledge, experience and beliefs from which we draw to serve our clients.

Having been in business for almost 40 years, our founding shareholders feel that the easiest way to ensure a diverse and inclusive law firm is to incorporate the shared experiences of each of its members into a unified firm culture.

Our strength is our diversity because having a diverse staff and attorneys allows us to better understand the needs of our clients and provide more effective representation to all, and not just some, South Florida communities.

Shareholder Jerry Markowitz and his family lived a life of diversity and inclusion long before such policies appeared on the firm's website. Family photographs in the office tell the story of a time when Jerry's parents, Harry and Florence Markowitz, owned and operated the historic Hampton House Motel & Villas in what is now the Brownsville neighborhood of Miami.

Because of segregation in the 1960s and 1970s, famous black entertainers, politicians, athletes and other luminaries could only stay in black neighborhoods when they visited Miami and Miami Beach. The Hampton House was a refuge for greats such as Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Nat King Cole, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis and Althea Gibson.

This left an indelible mark on young Jerry that helped to shape his vision for the firm. Similarly, shareholder Tom Ringel grew up in a small Ohio town where he vividly remembers the Ku Klux Klan gathering in the center of town in full regalia to protest the showing of the 1967 film “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner” featuring an interracial couple.

These combined experiences led to the firm's broader commitment to the South Florida community, where members of the firm serve a variety of organizations, foundations and causes and give back through pro bono legal efforts.

Every law firm is different with their own set of unique experiences behind their founding. Law firms interested in incorporating diversity and inclusion into their vision should consider doing the following:

• Publish a diversity and inclusion policy that the firm is committed to and communicate the policy to all stakeholders
• Create a diversity and inclusion committee that consists of management, attorneys and hiring staff.
• Identify career paths for minority attorneys and pair them with mentors.
• Establish minority affinity groups as needed and seek their feedback.

While there is no magic recipe or one right way of improving diversity and inclusion in the legal industry, it is clear our life experiences invariably shape our business choices and management styles.

For us, a dedication to the principles of inclusion and the integration of diverse experiences has defined our firm culture. But like most firms, we can and should do better. And we understand that what works here, may not work at other firms.

Nevertheless, the legal industry must remain dedicated to obtaining concrete, demonstrable results in numbers. To this I can only say: although we've come a long way, we still have a long way to go.

Adrian C. Delancy is a partner with the Miami law firm of Markowitz Ringel Trusty + Hartog and concentrates his practice in bankruptcy and commercial litigation. Contact him at [email protected]