Saxon Cropper-Sykes is an associate in the Commercial Litigation and Disputes group in the Los Angeles office.
How important do you think diversity, equity, and inclusion are to the next generation of Sidley lawyers?
The next generation of lawyers are demanding improvements in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The newer generation is pushing for improvements in recruitment and retention polices impacting underrepresented communities within the legal profession. We want to see real change, with law firms investing in the necessary funds and additional resources to make these improvements a reality.
In your opinion, is there anything that law firms should do in terms of creating a more diverse and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community within the legal profession?
In the words of civil rights activist Kimberlé Crenshaw: “If you don’t have a lens that’s been trained to look at how various forms of discrimination come together, you’re unlikely to develop a set of policies that will be as inclusive as they need to be.” One of the ways that law firms can create a more diverse and inclusive environment is to acknowledge the differences in lived experience, access, power, and privilege. There is so much nuance at the intersections of identity, and firms should pay attention to these differences when developing policies. We need policies that can account for issues at multiple axes and intersections of identity.
