The Biggest Little Impact: How Lawyers' Sustained Grassroots Efforts Promote Equality

It has been a challenging year for many of us across the political spectrum who strongly believe in equality of opportunity for, and treatment of, individuals in underrepresented and marginalized communities. From attacks on programs that aim to level the playing field after centuries of economic subjugation to the dramatic surge of hate crimes and the reintroduction of racist and anti-Semitic tropes, we are at an inflection point in our society. Our government is divided and polarized. Our judiciary is increasingly political and conflicted.

The corporate and legal communities must approach this battle – one that is critical to effective democracy, economic prosperity, and peace – with increased focus, engagement, generosity, creativity, and grit.

Bloomberg Philanthropies and 彭博资讯 ’s Legal & Compliance Department recently celebrated with two very impactful organizations, and recommitted to working with them and other partners who share our drive to make a difference.

The Lawyers’ Division of the ADL (the Anti-Defamation League ) New York /New Jersey honored me with its inaugural “Partners Against Hate” Award and Legal Outreach recognized me and Bloomberg’s Legal and Compliance Department with the “Corporate Diversity Champion” Award at its 40th Anniversary Gala. These two organizations reflect the very best of the legal profession, and I am very passionate about their increasingly important missions and the significant results they have produced over decades.

Through its educational program, Legal Outreach works to diversify and enhance the legal profession. It exposes low-income, mostly minority, high school students and/or first-generation urban youth from underserved NYC neighborhoods to the professional work of lawyers, providing critical tools, exposure, and opportunities through all four years of high school to enhance academic performance, access to top-tier universities and, ultimately, professional success. Current students, alums, staff, and supporters celebrated the program’s success and future, and honored program co-founder and executive director James O’Neal on his retirement after 40 years of inspirational service.

ADL, the world’s leading anti-hate organization, harnesses legal professionals’ skills in the ongoing battle to combat all forms of hate, bias, and extremism, with a particular emphasis on antisemitism. ADL is active on the ground, in the courts, in the halls of government, in the news, online, and on high school, college and university campuses around the world, working to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.

Both organizations work across the spectrum of community activism, engagement, and advocacy for change by #legal professionals, and have made an enormous impact on the lives of individuals and their communities. Lawyers’ #probono work is about impacting and improving individuals’ quality of life. It’s also about having a more systemic positive impact on our society.

I am privileged to work for a company whose founder, Mike Bloomberg , possesses a deep-seated belief about, and personal commitment to, giving back and identifying gaps that need to be addressed. Bloomberg Philanthropies brings powerful ideas, data, and lots of money (distributing $1.7 billion in 2022 alone) to ensuring better, longer lives for the greatest number of people around the world.

This culture of philanthropy and service is at the heart of the Legal & Compliance Department’s award-winning Pro Bono Program, which is led globally by Kim Rutan and our Pro Bono Committee. They work closely with Bloomberg’s #CorporatePhilanthropy team to provide a myriad of opportunities for colleagues across the Department (including me) to get involved by directly helping to solve problems for individuals in need and more broadly mitigating unfair systemic barriers to justice and success.

While this Department represents just 1% of Bloomberg’s total employee population globally, our team contributes between 5-7% of the company’s total volunteer hours every year, with about 95% of our members voluntarily participating. The passion and dedication we see from our colleagues is genuinely inspirational. While we track our engagement through hours served and percentage of colleague participation, we measure our volunteers’ success in lives positively impacted.

This sort of engagement is prevalent throughout the #legalprofession. We aim to do good and to make an impact. We use our unique professional skills to advocate for the rights of the underrepresented, and to protect the institutions that are crucial to a fair and just society. We make a disproportionate impact.

As members of our professional bar, it is our ethical and moral obligation to use our unique set of skills as trained lawyers to help those in need, increase equitable access to justice, and recruit and train the next generation.

I challenge each of us as legal professionals – regardless of career stage – to get involved with pro bono volunteer opportunities and help individuals and society during a time of great need.

All of us in leadership roles in the legal sector can do more to increase the diversity of our profession. We need to think about our hiring practices, identify and support diverse talent within our organizations’ ranks, and consider participating in board service to support public interest organizations that seek to close the justice gap.

I can’t wait to see the transformational impact of our collective efforts.

#ImpactInAction