A Message from MRWBA's Diversity and Inclusion Committee: Please Join Us 

Last year, as part of its Strategic Goals, MRWBA decided to implement a Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and I was humbled to be selected as Chair. I came to the role with grand designs on what could be done in the role and how to increase diversity and awareness in our Bar and to our local legal community. Candidly, the demands of life and practice intervened and those goals have not yet been met, but I wanted to take the opportunity to step it up now.

For many, “DE&I” may have been an unknown acronym prior to the events of 2020 and 2021. If we are honest, it took the George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor protests (among others) to collectively spur mainstream public discourse about race relations in this country and inequities in our justice system. With those discussions came refocused energies on how to diversify our workplaces, schools, courts and other facets of life.

As a women’s Bar association, and as women in a profession that has not always welcomed diversity of any sort, we are no strangers to the need for conscious efforts to ensure that the playing field is not just equal, but equitable. We know what it is like to be judged for factors other than our competence and professionalism; we have experienced the frustration of being excluded from opportunities when deals have been made behind doors we have not been invited through. We have always been, and will always be, vigorous advocates in the pursuit of justice and equal opportunity for all.

As we prepare to embark upon Black History Month, we are reminded of the unique struggle for justice and equity faced by so many of our colleagues, as well as by litigants entrusting their legal matters to us. We all bear the responsibility of acknowledging these struggles as reality, and of being active in confronting our own implicit biases so that we can be active participants in or allies to the fight to eradicate racism in all spheres. 

To that end, please consider participating in our Roundtable on Diversity program, which will feature an engaging discussion with distinguished members of our local Bench regarding these important issues and their learned perspectives. It will be conducted virtually on February 2nd and registration is open now. Please also consider inviting a friend or colleague who may not be a member of our organization.

We look forward to other opportunities to address these issues as a Bar, so please be on the lookout for more announcements in future newsletters!

Misty D. Whitehead, Esq.
JustLaw, PLLC, MRWBA Diversity and Inclusion Chair

Click here to register for our virtual event.

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor!

Virtual Regional and State High School Mock Trial Competition Needs Judges! 

The Virginia Law-Related Education Institute is hosting this year’s Virginia and Washington, DC, regional and state high school mock trial competition virtually due to the risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic, and is in need of judges for the two regional weekends in January and February and states in March.

• Saturday, January 29: 9:00 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:00
• Sunday, January 30: 9:00 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:00

• Saturday, February 5: 9:00 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:00
• Sunday, February 6: 9:00 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 4:00

• Saturday, March 19: 9:00 - 12:00, 12:30 - 3:30, 4:00 - 7:00
• Sunday, March 20: 9:00 - 12:00, 1:00 - 4:00

Judges will need to review brief orientation materials prior to the round to understand how to log in to the judging system and how to evaluate students. Judges will be asked to give brief constructive feedback at the end of trial.

If you’re available to judge one or more rounds on any of the dates, please sign up using our Google Form or email kristin@scribeondemand.com.

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