Stacey Halliday Discusses B&D’s DE&I Approach, Leadership with the National Law Review

National Law Review

B&D’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Principal Stacey Halliday (Washington, DC) recently joined the “Legal News Reach” podcast hosted by the National Law Review (NLR) for the episode “Creating A Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Work Environment.”

Speaking with NLR's Shelby Garrett, Stacey shared strategies and trends for DE&I initiatives in the legal industry, including how to measure impact and success. She also provided insights on the firm’s DE&I approach, saying, “At B&D, DE&I is really focused on building and fostering an inclusive culture that allows everyone to be their authentic selves at work, removing obstacles that inhibit equal opportunities for all and promoting and supporting those from historically underrepresented groups outside of the traditional DE&I bucket.”

Underscoring the importance of including both lawyers and staff in DE&I efforts, Stacey added, “I think [including staff in DE&I efforts is] something that gets lost a lot in the conversation for law firms, because they're so focused on the folks who are billing, but it's a much bigger biosphere for the law firm to be successful. There’s a lot more to it than just the legal work. So I think it's really been important to make sure those voices are captured and the broader diversity of the firm is captured through thinking about your staff, and not just your attorneys.” At B&D, the DE&I committee consists of both lawyers and staff serving various roles.

In the podcast, Stacey also describes B&D’s longtime participation in and partnership with leading legal DE&I organizations, such as the Diversity Lab and Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, and B&D’s continued collaborations with clients to advance their DE&I goals.

B&D values DE&I and strives to demonstrate leadership in these areas within the legal profession. We are Mansfield 5.0 Plus Certified by the Diversity Lab, having participated in the Mansfield Rule since the Mansfield 2.0 pilot. Working together with our clients, we develop, maintain, and participate in a variety of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives involving lawyers and staff firmwide. Learn more about our DE&I efforts and accomplishments.