A key component of the mission of the Rhode Island Bar is to continually improve the administration of justice for all our citizens and to apply our knowledge and experience of the law to promote the public good. We recognize there is much work to be done. As lawyers, we are charged with the duty and obligation to resolve conflicts and promote the rights and liberties of all. Our civic responsibility is to seek improvement of the law and the administration of justice. In times of crisis, we must be agents for change. While we, as a unified Bar, are prohibited from taking positions on political or ideological issues, each of us is able to help bridge the justice gap through a commitment to public service. We can help accomplish this by participating in our pro bono programs. The necessity for equal justice is even more apparent as the gap between the needs of our citizens and available legal services grows wider. There cannot be equity without equal access to justice.
The Association recognizes that diversity within the profession supports our mission and promotes a fair and equal justice system. Those upholding the law should reflect all whose civil liberties they strive to protect. To this end, we are establishing a Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion in an effort to integrate diverse perspectives in our activities and educational programming and to encourage and cultivate social intercourse among all members of the Rhode Island Bar, elevate attorneys of diverse backgrounds to positions of leadership within the Association, and promote interest in the practice of law to diverse populations.
The justice system operates through the efforts of our profession, and, as such, we must act in this time of crisis. Every moment is a potential call to action for justice. The State Bar of Rhode Island can help you answer that call.
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For members interested in joining the newly initiated Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion, please contact Bar Member Services Coordinator Erin Cute at 401-421-5740 or ecute@ribar.com.
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If any members have suggestions for programming topics on diversity and inclusion or would like to volunteer as a presenter, please contact our Continuing Legal Education Director Tanya Nieves at 401-421-5740 or tnieves@ribar.com.
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For members interested in assisting those in need of legal representation, please contact our Public Services Director Susan Fontaine at 401-421-7799 or sfontaine@ribar.com.