The Coalition will resume its Annual Members Meeting (after a one-year hiatus) on November 18 from 8-10 a.m. at K&L Gates Center, with an option to attend virtually also available. At the November meeting, the PLDIC will discuss our shift in focus from creating inclusive environments in our firms and law departments through individual actions to developing and sharing the systemic innovations that can ensure inclusion and support for all our people. We will provide practical answers to the question: if we really want to be more diverse, what should we do and what should we be measuring?

Evan Parker of Parker Analytics will return to present some of his groundbreaking research and to host a panel of some of our members with whom he has worked to make real change. Mark your calendar now!

The Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition is pleased to welcome its 40th member, Ansys.

“As a community of the most innovative minds on the planet, Ansys is dedicated to nurturing diversity and inclusion at every level of the organization. For that reason, I’m honored to say that Ansys will be joining the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition, which has a proven track record of supporting diverse legal perspectives and collaboration to accelerate progress and ensure equitable outcomes in our city. We look forward to not only working collaboratively with other members of the PLDIC, but also with the many organizations working to promote diversity in the legal community in our city." - Janet Lee, Ansys Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

Ansys is a global leader in engineering simulation. Through their strategy of Pervasive Engineering Simulation, they help the world's most innovative companies deliver radically better products to their customers. By offering the best and broadest portfolio of engineering simulation software, they help them solve the most complex design challenges and create products limited only by imagination. Founded in 1970, Ansys is headquartered south of Pittsburgh.

Our new Executive Director, Ena Lebel, is looking forward to meeting individually with all 40 of our member organizations. Please keep an eye out for an email from her in the next couple of weeks inviting you to meet with her to discuss how the PLDIC can best support your organization’s DEI efforts. Should you want to talk to her in the interim, please do not hesitate to reach out to her at [email protected].

In case you missed it: Ena's hire news was featured in the Pittsburgh Business Times and the August 27 issue of the ACBA's Lawyers Journal (page nine).

Vibrant Pittsburgh, in collaboration with the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, recently released the Vibrant Index Summary Report. The Vibrant Index is a project created to inspire organizations to follow best practices in diversity and inclusion. Four organizations scored at or above the 95th percentile on the 2020 Vibrant Index Diagnostic and were named “Vibrant Champions ” — two of them Coalition members: PNC and UPMC.

"For our region to contend in the competitive race for diverse talent, we must shift our approach. A focus on equity in the workplace must be magnified and our region’s businesses must operate with a deeper level of transparency, leadership that represents a variety of experiences, advancement that leaves no one behind, and other equality-centering practices."

This summer, Howmet Aerospace named Lola Lin as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary. On behalf of the Coalition — welcome, Lola! Howmet, a global leader in engineered metal products, joined the PLDIC in March.

PLDIC members: Do you have news about your organization's diverse lawyers and their accomplishments (for example: new hires, promotions, board appointments, speaking engagements, publications)? Or, do you have a DEI-related event coming up that we can help spread the word about? Please submit these types of items to [email protected] to feature on our website and more!

If you would like to learn more about how companies can make systematic changes before our November Members Meeting, check out this recent discussion between Mellody Hobson and Jean Case hosted by JUST Capital. As Hobson says, “Diversity is not philanthropy. When companies look at it through a more metric and outcome-oriented lens it will ultimately lead to greater transparency. We need that same intentionality. We need the same kind of incentives. And we need that same level of accountability when it comes to race and gender.”

Mellody Hobson is the co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments and Chair of Starbucks Corporation and Jean Case is the CEO of Case Impact Network and Chairman of the National Geographic Society.

On July 26-29, the University of Pittsburgh presented a three-day virtual Diversity Forum, providing participants with the "knowledge, skills and resources to identify sources of systemic oppression; strategies for dismantling that oppression; and identifying actions critical in fostering more equitable and just communities in which to live, work, and learn." Missed it? Watch a session from the Forum below, entitled "Structures of Inequity: A Conversation on Social Justice."

“Panel lawyers are the unsung heroes of the criminal justice system," said Patrick M. Livingston, the Western District of Pennsylvania’s CJA Panel Representative. "They battle for justice in federal court, advocating for those who would otherwise be unable to afford quality representation, and making sure that frequently drowned-out voices are heard in Western Pennsylvania’s federal courts."

In the American Bar Association's recent Profile of the Legal Profession, Pittsburgh is highlighted for having the lowest percentage of shareholders of color (page 14), reminding us that we have a lot of work to do. Read the full report, below.

Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs annually from September 15 to October 15, celebrates the contributions of 60 million Hispanic and Latinx Americans to American culture and society. Stayed tuned to our website and social media to see special features and events in honor of the month. Need a refresher on why HHM starts in the middle of September?

The ACBA will hold a virtual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration on October 7 at 5:30 p.m. for ACBA members and guests. The event will feature live music, an overview of Hispanic Heritage Month and the presentation of the El Sol Award, which is awarded annually to a local individual who has helped the Committee fulfill its mission of promoting the advancement of Pittsburgh’s Hispanic legal professionals and the Hispanic community at large. This year's award will be presented to Monica Ruiz-Caraballo, the Executive Director of Casa San José.

The Latinx Connect conference, to be presented by the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion October 14-16, will provide a virtual space to learn and discuss Latinx identities, cultures, and contemporary issues. Topics include what it means to be Latinx/a/o/e/Hispanic in relation to intersectional identities, education, immigration, public health, arts & culture, history, and more.

The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will hold a “Hispanic Heritage Month Opening” on September 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. There will be networking, food, beverages, the beautiful city view and music by Noel Quintana to celebrate the opening of Hispanic Heritage Month sponsored by the Pittsburgh River Hounds.

The Latino Americans Pittsburgh project, led by Casa San Jose and Andres Tapia Urzua, and sponsored by Heinz Endowments Just Arts, will host a screening celebration on September 15 from 6-9 p.m. Come witness the videos featuring 10+ highlighted Latinos sharing stories of courage, inspiration, and growth for this outstanding community project.There will be food, drinks, music, and videos.

This event, to be held on October 13 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Westin Convention Center and virtually, will examine approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplaces and how we can come together to ensure that our region’s employers are destinations of opportunity for people of all backgrounds.

The MCCA's Creating Pathways to Diversity® Conference ("Pathways") will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), talent optimization and inclusive leadership to bolster the recruitment, retention, and promotion of diverse attorneys. Pathways convenes influential general counsel, firm partners and thought leaders to present and discuss current and thought-provoking issues disrupting and shaping DEI in the legal profession.