Page 8 - Delaware Lawyer - Summer 2022

FEATURE
Has Begun
Collins J. Seitz, Jr.
The Work
A message on diversity from the Chief Justice
The United States Census Bureau reports that people of color make up almost 39% of Delaware citizens. LGBTQ community members add to our state’s diversity. While the data are incomplete, we know without any real study that the Delaware legal community falls short when it comes to reflecting the community we serve.
6 DELAWARE LAWYER SUMMER 2022
Improving diversity is mission criti- cal for the Delaware legal profession. When judges and lawyers do not reflect
the community we serve, it undermines public confidence in the fair adminis- tration of justice. Lawyers are also the farm team for public service and our next generation of leaders. Diverse law- yers who aspire to public service inspire confidence in our democratic institu- tions of governance. And, near and dear to Delaware and its business-centric
legal industry, diversity is good for busi- ness. Diverse lawyers bring different skills and perspectives to legal problems. Clients now demand that their law firms have diverse teams working on their en- gagements.
On May 13, 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delaware Supreme Court started the Delaware Bench and Bar Diversity Project. The first of its kind among state courts, the project was organized around a steering