Stating it strives to promote and foster an inclusive and diverse bar association, the New Jersey State Bar Association's governing body adopted a diversity statement.
Representatives of several of the association's sections representing women and minorities in the profession; government lawyers; and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender attorneys worked to draft the statement. The board of trustees voted to adopt the statement at its meeting in Atlantic City at the Annual Meeting and Convention.
The statement further says the state bar association honors a diverse legal profession and has zero tolerance for bigotry.
"The NJSBA is committed to ensuring that the individual differences of its members are understood, respected and appreciated. We recognize that leveraging individual differences is critically important to fulfilling the bar association's mission and to its continued growth and success. Thus, we encourage a standard of conduct and behavior that values the importance of diversity and inclusivity. The NJSBA has zero tolerance for and will promptly investigate and respond to hatred, intolerance, insensitivity, bigotry, threats of violence, harassment or discrimination and all other actions that are inconsistent with its efforts to be an inclusive and diverse bar association."