Every weekday morning, our mail delivery person brings to each attorney their morning mail.  For me, included in each delivery is a copy of that day's The Legal Intelligencer.

When I received my copy on the morning of March 19, 2019, I thumbed through it as usual to catch up on the local legal news and events. I leafed by the usual banner advertisement from one of our local major personal injury firms advertising their latest accomplishments. I glanced at the “People in the News” to see people I know and recognize. Then I perused the articles. That Tuesday was a Fat Tuesday (no pun intended—for those of us who are Christians, Fat Tuesday is the day before the beginning of the 40 days in the wilderness—I change my mind, pun intended), because it contained one of The Legal's special section inserts “Top Laterals/New Partners.” The cover of the thick special had a picture of almost two dozen smiling faces. None of them persons of color. It was the group who moved from one large firm to another. My hand paused, but I continued to turn the pages of the insert announcing laterals and new partners; page after page after page of smiling faces—more than 160 people. Almost no persons of color, let alone black.

I tried to take a deep breath—the glossy insert left me disoriented. I had to check the date again—March 2019—not March 1969.

I put the paper down and regained my composure. Later I picked it back up again to read what was in the Pennsylvania Law Weekly insert. I got no further than the third page when I spotted the advertisement for a CLE sponsored by a well-known provider. Again a cadre of speakers whose pictures adorned the call to attend. Almost two dozen, only one person of color.

I usually do not keep the daily copies of The Legal. I either pass it on, or send it to our library. However, I will keep this copy. I will keep this copy to remind me that the Philadelphia legal community has gone backwards—not forward.

Albert S. Dandridge III is chair of the securities practice group at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis and serves as the firm's chief diversity officer.