June 25, 2020
Willkie has pledged to contribute significant pro bono resources to identify and dismantle structural or systemic racism in the law.
Willkie has signed on as a member of the newly created Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), which is comprised of over 125 law firms that have pledged to contribute significant pro bono resources to combat racism in the law.
As noted in its charter, LFAA seeks to “leverage the resources of the private bar in partnership with legal services organizations to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism, to better use the law as a vehicle for change that benefits communities of color and to promote racial equity in the law.” The charter underscores that “lawyers and law firms are uniquely positioned to analyze and advocate to change laws and policies that encourage, perpetuate or allow racial injustice” and that “recent events have affirmed and highlighted the need and responsibility for law firms to do more in partnership with legal services organizations to identify and dismantle structural or systemic racism in the law.”
The LFAA will facilitate large-scale, coordinated pro bono projects that are both immediate and long-term in scope, and member firms will dedicate substantial pro bono resources to initiatives that address systemic racism. It is anticipated that the collaborative efforts of law firms, legal services organizations and other sectors of the legal profession will create more meaningful and lasting change than through firms acting independently.