On March 26, 2015, a number of Kelley Drye employees participated in the “Covering” CLE Seminar featuring Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law. As law firms, corporations and other organizations conduct internal analyses seeking more diverse, inclusive, productive and reflective working environments, it would not surprise many that the “number counting” often falls short of desired results. What is surprising, however, is that diversity is more than just the desire to rectify displacement based on gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

While diversity is often thought to be a “minority” concern, Kenji Yoshino spoke to its universal dilemma. Collaborating with Deloitte, Yoshino found that over two-thirds of Caucasian heterosexual men in the workplace were concerned that they had a unique characteristic that did not allow them to feel comfortable. Examples such as age, religion, disability and military status prompted these men to conceal or “cover” their authentic self and as such stifle their inner creativity and reduce productivity.

Yoshino encourages work places to continually strive to create inclusive working environments for all employees allowing everyone to be his/her “Authentic Self” while simultaneously embracing others. By understanding that Diversity is a universal concern, it allows all members of an organization to come to the table and create work environments that can truly focus on establishing quality work products and better business practices.

The CLE Seminar was held under the auspices of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).

Embracing the Authentic Self