The Bridge
PLDIC News
April 29, 2020

Moving Pittsburgh's Legal Community Forward, Together 
The Bridge - PLDIC News
To keep communication between the Coalition and all its constituencies open and robust during this unprecedented period of challenge and uncertainty, the PLDIC is publishing The Bridge - PLDIC News every other week and in between, " The Bridge - Resources ," a compilation of resources relevant to the times and our mission.

If you missed any issues of The Bridge , you can catch up here . Know someone who may be interested in receiving The Bridge and other PLDIC communications? Direct them to our website and scroll to the bottom of the homepage to subscribe!
PLDIC Signs Statements Denouncing
Anti-Asian Harassment
Almost 1,400. That’s the number of reports of physical assault, verbal harassment and shunning received by Stop AAPI Hate in just the two weeks after its official launch on March 19. And this at a time of widespread stay-at-home orders. The PLDIC is proud to join other legal organizations, including the American Bar Association and the Allegheny County Bar Association, in support of the statements of the National Asian Pacifica American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania (APABA-PA) and the Anti-Defamation League denouncing the rising incidents of anti-Asian harassment.

These statements are fully supported by the Coalition:
Why Towards a Culture of Inclusion ? (Part III)
Study after study has found that diverse teams are more creative and produce better results. Even in the best of times, this is a good reason to launch a year long series of programs to help legal employers to retain more of their diverse attorneys for longer periods of time — a series we are calling Towards a Culture of Inclusion . But both having and using the talents of a diverse team has never been more important than now.

As Kristian Ribberstrom, Chief of Intersectional Design and Master Facilitator for the Medici Group, said in his TedX Talk, a homogeneous team is OK if you know exactly what you need to do, but a diverse team is what you need when the way forward is not so clear, when creativity and innovation is needed.
Innovation in the legal industry was a by-product of each of the last two recessions and will be required to survive and thrive during and after this one. See: Will the Coronavirus Calamity Lead to the Next Wave in Legal Innovation?

Towards a Culture of Inclusion will help you keep your diverse team on board and engaged in the hard work of innovating your way out of the coronavirus crisis and its aftermath.
Reed Smith MP Among Execs Interviewed
on the Impact of Covid-19
Execs Agree New Normal Requires Adaptability

“Uncertainty is the new normal, and flexible and adaptive businesses will fare better in that environment.” -Ronald Francis Jr., Reed Smith office managing partner

Read more
www.bizjournals.com
ACBF Lawyers’ Fund There to Help
You don’t have to be a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association to apply for assistance from the Lawyers’ Fund ( although you do need to have a principle office in Allegheny County ). Lawyers aren’t immune either from the virus or from experiencing financial hardship in these tough times. If you or someone you know needs help:

The ACBF Lawyers’ Fund can provide confidential, need-based financial assistance to area lawyers and their families, especially during these difficult times. Funds may be available to help those struggling to make ends meet, manage student loan debt, cover funeral expenses of a loved one, pay for substance abuse counseling and more. For more information, contact Executive Director David Blaner . All inquiries are confidential.
FINRA Seeking Arbitrators
FINRA has reached out to the Coalition for help in expanding the depth and diversity of its arbitrator roster. Industry knowledge is not required and it costs nothing to apply. To apply to become a FINRA arbitrator, candidates must complete the online application . Interested candidates may email if they have any questions or to request additional information.
Cinco de Mayo Virtual Happy Hour
Join the ACBA Hispanic Attorneys Committee for an online Cinco de Mayo celebration via Zoom on May 5 from 5-6 p.m. All ACBA members are invited to bring their beverages and snacks of choice, wear the colors of the Mexican flag (red, green, or white), and join fellow ACBA members for some lively discussion and traditional Mexican music. Learn more and register.