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Corporate Counsel Initiative/Statement of Diversity Principles

The LSBA leadership executed a letter with Entergy, Northrup Grumman, and Caesars
Entertainment Corp. to encourage corporations and in-house counsel to sign the Statement of
Diversity Principles. The letter was disseminated in April 2014 to a mailing list developed of
corporate counsel. A revised letter was disseminated in July 2014.

Encouraging and reaching out to corporate counsel remains a goal of the Department.

Diversity Committee Ongoing Initiatives/Projects
Diversity Committee Co-chairs:
Demarcus J. Gordon
Susan R. Laporte (Conclave Chair)
Monica M. Vela-Vick

Strategic Plan

A strategic plan was developed in April 2010 and was adopted in 2011. In August 2013, Dianne
Mouton-Allen facilitated a workshop to assist the Diversity Committee in developing an action
plan to work toward additional action steps.

On September 25, 2015, the Diversity Committee approved the formation of a Strategic Plan
Subcommittee to review program goals, and develop a new strategic plan to reaffirm, redefine,
and strengthen the purpose and goals of the Diversity Committee.

The Strategic Planning Subcommittee met for a strategic planning session on October 14, 2017.
The session was facilitated by Lauren S. Rikleen, Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership. The
Strategic Planning subcommittee met on November 18, 2017, to review the Strategic Planning
report prepared by Ms. Rikleen. A new strategic plan will be developed and presented to the
Diversity Committee for adoption.

A Diversity Committee Strategic Planning Session was scheduled on August 29, 2020, at the Ritz-
Carlton Hotel, New Orleans, LA. The session was cancelled.

Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, Retired – Recognition Committee
An Awards Subcommittee meeting was held on January 8, 2020. The Awards Subcommittee
determined that in anticipation of Chief Justice Johnson’s retirement, it would request that the
Diversity Committee form an ad hoc/special committee to work on a project that would recognize
her years of dedication and commitment to the Diversity Committee and the legal profession. The
Diversity Committee approved the recommendation on January 10, 2021.

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