PDC Roundtable: Pathways to Inclusivity: Implementing 303(c) and Advancing Cultural Competency in Law Schools

3pm EST

We are excited to invite you to a discussion on ABA Standard 303(c), which states:

“A law school shall provide education to law students on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism: (1) at the start of the program of legal education, and (2) at least once again before graduation.”

Our panelists will share their experiences collaborating with law schools and legal employers (both before and after the introduction of Standard 303(c)) to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging (DEIB), and cultural competence within the legal profession. We encourage you to join the conversation with our panelists and fellow roundtable participants to explore how different institutions are working to meet the requirements of ABA Standard 303(c).

 Panelists:

 Jackie Cranford, Founder & Principal, Cranford Advisory Services LLC

Jackie Cranford is the Founding Principal of Cranford Advisory Services LLC, a consultancy dedicated to talent management strategies with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging ("DEIB"). With three decades of experience in the legal profession, transitioning from litigation to talent management, Jackie provides invaluable insights to her clientele. Her approach blends expertise with diplomacy and thoughtfulness, delivering impactful strategic guidance and facilitating transformative training workshops.

Prior to founding Cranford Advisory Services LLC, Jackie held leadership roles in talent management for nearly 14 years across three global law firms. During this time, she developed and implemented comprehensive strategies to advance DEIB, performance management, and leadership development, among other key facets of effective talent management. As a consultant, Jackie provides expert guidance to a broad range of clients across industries.

Jackie has a rich history of leadership within professional development and DEIB-focused organizations. She actively collaborates with various organizations including the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, the National Association for Law Placement, the Professional Development Consortium, the Society of Human Resources Management, and the Professional Development Providers Network. She played a pivotal role as a founding member of the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals.

Jackie is a graduate of Oral Roberts University and the University of Virginia School of Law. She began her legal career with K&L Gates before joining the U.S. Department of Justice and later transitioning to talent management.

Marguerite Fletcher 

Marguerite A. Fletcher, Esq. is the President of Fletcher Consulting, LLC.  She is a diversity consultant, keynote speaker and facilitator. Marguerite is skilled at facilitating workshops on a variety of topics such as Implicit Bias, Interrupting Bias, and Managing Diverse Teams. Marguerite advises her clients on mitigating bias in hiring, assignment and evaluation systems.  She is adept at performing comprehensive cultural assessments and in helping clients to develop strategic action plans. As a Keynote Speaker, Marguerite dives into challenging issues with energy and humor. Marguerite speaks on a variety of issues relating to diversity, inclusion, implicit bias and cultural competence.
Marguerite is the Chair of the Board of YW Boston, a position she has held for over five years. She is a former board member of the Women’s Education & Industrial Union and was active for many years with the Boston Bar Association, most notably as a member of the Steering Committee of the Diversity and Inclusion Section.
Marguerite began her work in the diversity field as a Senior Consultant with the Verna Myers Consulting Group; she also worked as a consultant with Ibis Consulting Group. Marguerite practiced law for thirty years; in her own law practice, as Assistant General Counsel at Genuity, Inc., as Corporate Counsel at Lotus Development Corporation/IBM and as a Corporate Associate with Hale and Dorr (now known as Wilmer Hale).
Marguerite, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She resides in Newton, Massachusetts.
 
Contact: marguerite@consultfletcher.com

Denise Robinson
 

Denise A. Robinson (she/her) is the Founding Principal of The Still Center LLC, a consultancy focused on facilitating personal well-being, meaningful interpersonal connections and belonging, and organizational diversity, equity & inclusion. Denise’s work is informed by over 20 years of experience spanning legal, financial, and academic arenas. After counseling clients on various labor & employment matters as a law firm associate, Denise pursued a career building diverse and inclusive institutions, including as a law school and college admissions officer focused on multicultural recruitment for Georgetown University. She continued this pursuit at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where she was promoted through a series of roles to serve as the firm’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion. Subsequently, Denise served as the Diversity Officer for the International Monetary Fund. Denise is also a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance, which is the foundation of her work in mindfulness, meditation, and other well-being practices.

As a consultant, Denise performs cultural assessments, provides strategic advice, and delivers training on diversity, equity & inclusion, well-being, and other talent development topics. In addition, she has directed benchmarking surveys and other think tank projects to advance diversity, equity & inclusion in the legal profession. Denise earned her undergraduate degree in philosophy from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College, and she is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. She serves her community as a member of the Board of Governors for Grace Episcopal Day School and a Parent Consult team volunteer for the Partnership for Extraordinary Minds, a nonprofit supporting autistic students in Montgomery County, Maryland.