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By Bianca Black, Littler Mendelson
There is no doubt that 2020 has caused employers across all industries to take a careful look at their diversity and inclusion practices in the workplace. This invisible force is highlighted even more so amongst legal practitioners who are tasked with meeting their clients’ heightened expectations of diversity and inclusion regarding representation in their own respective practice areas. The benefits of having a diverse legal team, whether in the public or private sector, have been acknowledged by the Indianapolis legal community well before 2020. Whether you are a law firm, an in-house legal team for a business, or a judge, building the right foundations for diversity within your team has always been important.
The Indianapolis Bar Association is committed to providing candidates from all walks of life with education regarding the legal community, opportunities to connect with professionals within the legal community and the opportunity to land a job with employers in the Indianapolis legal community who are committed to maintaining a diverse legal team. Student/employer interviews are an intricate portion of the Diversity Job Fair. To that end, providing diverse quality talent to employers is of upmost importance. The IndyBar spends an immense amount of time and resources pooling qualified candidates from various diverse backgrounds across the state of Indiana and in the Midwest region. Employers are then allowed to sort through resumes and hand-pick candidates for interviews. Prior to their scheduled interviews with the employers, students discover the advantages that a professional experience in Indianapolis can offer. Students are encouraged to participate in a pre-fair workshop, unique to our fair, which includes interview skills training and networking opportunities. By the time students reach the employer interviews, they are well prepared for the interview process.
Given the recent pandemic, on-site interviews have been pushed back or canceled altogether. Many organizations across the country simply canceled their 2020 job fairs. Not surprisingly, it has been an arduous task for many extremely talented law students to secure job interviews and job offers. The IndyBar recognized this ordeal early on, and in 2020, hosted the first virtual Diversity Job Fair. Whether in-person or virtual, the 2021 Diversity Job Fair to be held on August 9 and 10 is sure to provide diverse talent to employers looking to create a diverse team. Find the talent that you’ve been looking for to join your team for the summer of 2022. The 2021 IndyBar Diversity Job Fair planning is currently underway, and the employer and sponsor registration period is now open! You can visit indybar.org/diversityjobfair for details and to sign up to participate as an employer or sponsor. If you have any additional questions regarding the IndyBar Diversity Job Fair, contact Deneen Fitzgerald at [email protected].•
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