CMCP Diversity Matters - May/June 2018

Letter from the Executive Director
BRINGING NEW
ENERGY TO AN
OLD PROBLEM
My first direct encounter with bias in the legal
profession impacts me still. I went to my first-ever
law firm interview in San Francisco, looking for a
position for my 1L summer. I was excited about
getting one step closer to being a real lawyer
and ready to make a good impression: I wore my
navy blue interview suit from Macy’s – also good
for weddings, funerals and fancy parties since it
was the only one I had; rarely used dress shoes
carefully polished.
Robert White
Executive Director
When I arrived at the firm and announced myself,
the receptionist handed me a clipboard with a job
application. I tried to explain that I had already
been in correspondence with the firm and sent
them my resume. Why would they want me to
repeat the same information? She stated firmly
that everyone needs to fill out an application
and directed me to a seat in the lobby where I
started working on the form: name, date of birth,
educational and job history. I didn’t know, I thought
maybe she was right – I had never interviewed at a
law firm before, or even been inside a law firm. But
a few minutes later another woman sailed toward
me, cheeks red and hair flying behind her. She
almost snatched the clipboard from me and flung
2 | California Minority Counsel Program