Diversity Ever After

In this follow-up episode recorded live at Belmont University College of Law, we answer thoughtful questions from 3L students, addressing key topics for those entering the legal profession. We discuss the importance of workplace culture and how to learn more about the company’s culture during interviews, navigate conversations about family planning, and manage expectations around work-life balance...

This special episode of  Diversity Ever After  was recorded live at Belmont University College of Law and focuses on the core principles of DEI. We reflect on how DEI efforts have evolved in law firms and the profession generally and discuss why creating spaces for meaningful and challenging conversations is essential. Throughout this discourse, our hosts share personal stories to highlight the un...

While AI holds immense potential to enhance workplace practices and promote equity, it is important to be intentional about when and how to use AI. In part two of our conversation, we continue our exploration into the meaning and regulatory landscape of AI, acknowledging the value of AI.  Our discussion covers key skills and considerations to effectively use AI, the ethical considerations companie...

While AI holds immense potential to enhance workplace practices and promote equity, it is important to be intentional about when and how to use AI. We explore the meaning and regulatory landscape of AI, acknowledging the value of AI.  Our discussion covers key skills and considerations to effectively use AI, the ethical considerations companies should consider, and how to navigate AI’s limitations...

Success can take many forms, and life stages often shift our priorities, requiring us to redefine what success means for us. In this episode, we explore the resilience necessary for and how the need for inclusion, diversity, and autonomy may cause a career transition. We also explore how different generations in the workforce view success and adapt as the world of work evolves.  Listeners will gai...

Welcome back! We recognize that we’ve all experienced moments where we’ve felt excluded. Through Diversity Ever After,  we strive to empower you with the knowledge and tools to create inclusive spaces, which will increase feelings of belonging and lessen feelings of exclusion for us all.  This week, we emphasize the importance of creating safe spaces for difficult conversations.  We explore how th...

Welcome back as we continue our discussion with Laurie Robinson Haden, the founder and CEO of the Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC).  Do you have a career playbook?  In this episode, Laurie shares impactful strategies that have influenced her new book, “It’s Time to Shine: A Guide for Professionals of Color on How to Advance Their Career,” emphasizing the significance of leaving a legacy for...

In this episode, we hear the inspiring story of Laurie Robinson Haden who founded the Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC). She explains her remarkable journey of growth and empowerment as well as the mission driving CCWC and its evolution, highlighting its pivotal role in supporting women of color in the legal profession. We discuss the significance of organizations like CCWC that provide reso...

In this episode, Oz Sanchez, who has served our nation both as a Marine and a three-time Paralympic medalist, shares valuable insight and perspectives with our hosts about being a veteran.  Some veterans may encounter challenges in transitioning from military service to a civilian workplace.  We discuss the importance of belonging and cultivating a supportive culture for veterans in the workplace,...

Today's episode draws on the work of an extraordinary American, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who sacrificed so much on behalf of so many. Our hosts discuss Baker Donelson's first annual firmwide Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service as well as the impact of serving others. Baker Donelson's Day of Service, which was on January 15, 2024, was a day-on rather than simply a day-off.  Various individua...

During our first episode in this two-part series, we had an engaging conversation with our guest Tiffany Obeng, who is an attorney and author, about representation and how it is an important step toward creating a sense of belong in workplace settings. In this episode, we continue this conversation by discussing how Ms. Obeng's children's books can help create more inclusive professions. Ms. Obeng...

Welcome to season 6! We have covered a lot of topics in our past seasons, but one that stands out is the importance of representation. Sometimes you do have to see it to believe it. So, in this episode, we are revisiting our conversation about representation with our guest, Tiffany Obeng. Tiffany is an attorney and children’s book author. During our discussion, we learn why belonging and represent...

In this episode, some of our Summer Associates who worked across Baker Donelson's footprint discuss their summer experience and how they will use what they have learned this summer in their third year and future legal career. They share experiences on networking, being confident, taking chances, and being willing to grow from mistakes. Whether you are a current or future law student, a legal profe...

This week, our host is joined by some of our summer associates, who share their thoughts about the meaning of belonging and how we can help create a sense of belonging on teams and with colleagues. As rising third year law students, our guests provide invaluable insight into how many in the next generation of lawyers view what makes a workplace great. Join us for an engaging discussion that examin...

Each summer, law firms around the country host summer associates who are aspiring lawyers seeking to experience what it is like to work in a firm. In this episode, five of our summer associates introduce themselves and discuss the key factors that led them to join Baker Donelson as a summer associate, among other topics. Join us for an engaging discussion that allows us to reflect on various persp...

Fostering a sense of belonging is critical to create an inclusive workplace climate. What does belonging mean? In this episode of Diversity Ever After, we define belonging and discuss findings in a recent Bloomberg article highlight how belonging is the next step for DEI. Join us for an engaging discussion in which we explore how to tap into employees' differences and unique perspectives in the wo...

How do we navigate parenting while working? In this episode, our hosts discuss the challenges and experiences of being working parents by focusing on workplace policies and the transition of taking parental leave and returning to work. They discuss the policies that were available to them during their parental leave and the support they received from their respective workplaces.  Additionally, the...

Welcome to the first episode of season 5! In our first episode, we talk to our Baker Donelson attorney hosts about this season.  We get to know each other better and realize how impactful a sense of belonging is to creating the best workplace cultures and team dynamics. We acknowledge that people who feel as though they are part of the team and have a sense of belonging within an organization are...

Do you want to know more about the difference between a mentor and sponsor and why sponsorships are game changers for a person's professional growth, especially those in underrepresented groups? In this episode, we discuss the differences between a sponsor and a mentor, why both are important in the success of developing talent within an organizations, what should be considered when trying to get...

How can you help small businesses become big businesses? In this week’s episode, our hosts discuss how creative partnerships that focus on using your own resources to help others can make a lasting and impactful change in our communities and specifically the economic competitive marketplace for small business owners. The hosts discuss The Light of Baltimore Incubator , created in partnership with...

It is important to have diverse representation of lawyers on TV and in films because representation shows possibility. In this week's episode, our hosts discuss these possibilities and the common themes and biases often portrayed in the storylines of some of our favorite TV lawyers such as Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating. Is the existence of these diverse characters enough of a win, or can the st...

On June 30, 2022, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made history by becoming the first African American woman to be sworn in as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. We had a chance to discuss this monumental day with Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In Episode 2, Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby, who authored a 2010 law review article ti...

We are starting the new year and a new season by checking-in with some of our hosts.  We recognize the importance of having a platform where we can openly discuss important and sometimes difficult and uncomfortable conversations that impact professionals, but you may wonder what we enjoy about hosting these episodes. The topics we discuss on Diversity Ever After can benefit any organization or pro...

This week, Terrence Reed, Managing Director of Employment Litigation for Federal Express Corporation and President of the Center for Excellence in Decision Making, joins us to continue our topic on code switching. The Center for Excellence in Decision Making is a non-profit organization that partners with the University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and the Memphis Bar Association t...

Is it worth it? This week, Cornell University Professor Dr. Courtney McCluney joins us for a real talk discussion about black fatigue and the upsides and downsides of code-switching. We unpack whether, codeswitching in spaces where negative stereotypes of black professionals run counter to what is considered suitable and normal behavior for a particular environment worth the large implications to...