". . . and Justice for All"—Better Serving the Public, and Enhancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

By Emilio Varanini and Chip Wilkins

Emilio Varanini is the President of the California Lawyers Association. Chip Wilkins is the Chair of the Board of Representatives of the California Lawyers Association. This article was first published by the California Lawyers Association.

The death of George Floyd and others shows us how far removed we still are from justice for all in the 21^st century. It is critical to safeguarding the rule of law, preventing discrimination, and ensuring fairness in the administration of justice, that all are treated with full respect and with full protection of our constitutional rights. Many in law enforcement live up to this ideal and practice it each and every day in service to the rule of law. But where law enforcement falls short of this ideal, they must be held accountable.

These issues often show up in ways that do not become the subject of national or international news. More needs to be done to address systemic racism before we can truly have justice for all. In the coming days, officers, board members, Section members, and CLA staff will be discussing what we can do as an organization on behalf of our members, the profession, and the public to address structural racism and discrimination in the 21^st century and to ensure justice for all. We have an ironclad commitment to the rule of law and to diversity through the work of our Sections, through our committees dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and through the advocacy work of CLA in multiple forums. But we will do more and welcome your feedback as part of those efforts.