Employers and students gave high marks to FCBA’s new diversity pipeline program. The program offers first-year law students a tech, media and telecom (TMT) law and policy certificate and matches them with employers for internship programs. This summer, it placed 19 students into paid internships with eight law firms, five companies, four trade associations and one nonprofit advocacy group-law firm partnership. FCBA members Rudy Brioche and Celia Lewis initiated the project. Participants said they hope FCBA will place more interns in the future.
Employers and students gave high marks to FCBA’s new diversity pipeline program. The program offers first-year law students a tech, media and telecom (TMT) law and policy certificate and matches them with employers for internship programs. This summer, it placed 19 students into paid internships with eight law firms, five companies, four trade associations and one nonprofit advocacy group-law firm partnership. FCBA members Rudy Brioche and Celia Lewis initiated the project. Participants said they hope FCBA will place more interns in the future.
As more of daily life moves online, ensuring access to websites is more important, heard an Information Technology and Innovation Foundation webinar on federal website accessibility. Go beyond Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities, said Andrew Kirkpatrick, Adobe director-accessibility. “Get rid of legacy content and legacy systems not supporting accessibility.” Ensure content is available on modern devices and works well with all browsers, he said Thursday. Put away the mouse, “making sure you can activate all the content” via the keyboard, said Kirkpatrick. American Foundation for the Blind Chief Public Policy and Research Officer Stephanie Enyart stressed user testing as a “key component” in understanding how people “are really using the software.” Something technically accessible “might not be so user friendly.” She recommended federal agencies share best practices. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., who co-chairs the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and is a wheelchair user, said “government has to step up its game to be a model.” Noting Section 508 applies only to the executive branch, he said he asked the House chief administrative officer to prioritize site accessibility for congressional offices. “Efforts are underway,” Langevin said. He's seeking increased funding for the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services and the House modernization initiative. ITIF issued a report last month on federal agency accessibility (see 2106030036). Our report on association websites found they mostly scored relatively high on accessibility.
As more of daily life moves online, ensuring access to websites is more important, heard an Information Technology and Innovation Foundation webinar on federal website accessibility. Go beyond Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities, said Andrew Kirkpatrick, Adobe director-accessibility. “Get rid of legacy content and legacy systems not supporting accessibility.” Ensure content is available on modern devices and works well with all browsers, he said Thursday. Put away the mouse, “making sure you can activate all the content” via the keyboard, said Kirkpatrick. American Foundation for the Blind Chief Public Policy and Research Officer Stephanie Enyart stressed user testing as a “key component” in understanding how people “are really using the software.” Something technically accessible “might not be so user friendly.” She recommended federal agencies share best practices. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., who co-chairs the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and is a wheelchair user, said “government has to step up its game to be a model.” Noting Section 508 applies only to the executive branch, he said he asked the House chief administrative officer to prioritize site accessibility for congressional offices. “Efforts are underway,” Langevin said. He's seeking increased funding for the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services and the House modernization initiative. ITIF issued a report last month on federal agency accessibility (see 2106030036). Our report on association websites found they mostly scored relatively high on accessibility.
Among associations that deal with telecom and whose website home and About pages we checked for accessibility, the average scores were in the 80s out of 100. The highest score was 100, the lowest 63. Communications Daily used two trackers, www.webaccessibility.com and Google’s Lighthouse extension, to review the sites of some 30 associations. Experts said in interviews that manual checks are more accurate, and results show some accessibility problems.
Among associations that deal with telecom and whose website home and About pages we checked for accessibility, the average scores were in the 80s out of 100. The highest score was 100, the lowest 63. Communications Daily used two trackers, www.webaccessibility.com and Google’s Lighthouse extension, to review the sites of some 30 associations. Experts said in interviews that manual checks are more accurate, and results show some accessibility problems.
Opening conversations on a “micro level” can be a catalyst for change in recognizing systemic racism and working toward equity and inclusion, said Kimberly Hulsey, a legal recruiter with Major Lindsey, during an FCBA webinar Tuesday. Ensure new associates have representation, equal access to assignments and clients, access to speaking opportunities and support for growth, said Wiley's Anna Gomez, who heads FCBA’s diversity and inclusion committee. “If management is very sincere about increasing the diversity, managers have to be tasked with that, and their compensation has to be linked to that,” said Hulsey. Employers must insist those they do business with are focused on equity and inclusion, said Clint Odom, T-Mobile vice president-strategic alliances and external affairs. Build a pipeline, so when a diversity hire on a law firm partnership track leaves, others are still on track, he said. “Your ability to hire people who are diverse is not constrained by Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act.”
Opening conversations on a “micro level” can be a catalyst for change in recognizing systemic racism and working toward equity and inclusion, said Kimberly Hulsey, a legal recruiter with Major Lindsey, during an FCBA webinar Tuesday. Ensure new associates have representation, equal access to assignments and clients, access to speaking opportunities and support for growth, said Wiley's Anna Gomez, who heads FCBA’s diversity and inclusion committee. “If management is very sincere about increasing the diversity, managers have to be tasked with that, and their compensation has to be linked to that,” said Hulsey. Employers must insist those they do business with are focused on equity and inclusion, said Clint Odom, T-Mobile vice president-strategic alliances and external affairs. Build a pipeline, so when a diversity hire on a law firm partnership track leaves, others are still on track, he said. “Your ability to hire people who are diverse is not constrained by Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act.”
One lawyer recalled not getting assigned to a project because the attorney making the assignments said “the client didn’t like working with women.” Another woman remembered a senior attorney telling her, “You don’t seem like a lawyer to me.” Other women pointed to articles placing the female co-author’s name after the male co-author’s, although the submission listed the woman first.
One lawyer recalled not getting assigned to a project because the attorney making the assignments said “the client didn’t like working with women.” Another woman remembered a senior attorney telling her, “You don’t seem like a lawyer to me.” Other women pointed to articles placing the female co-author’s name after the male co-author’s, although the submission listed the woman first.