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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 16, 2021 12:18 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Liz Hanbidge |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Continuing Education Requirements For Attorneys, Judges, and Justices |
| Each individual has a rich identity and life experience which creates unique perspectives and potential that deserve a fair chance to be realized, irrespective of gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits or characteristics. We are at our best when we enable this equal opportunity, and we are falling far short of our potential when we leave people and communities behind. As our communities continue to grow in diversity, it is imperative that we make meaningful and sustained progress that will require all of us to work together across the legal industry in order to innovate and share insights to help us collectively improve. Research demonstrates that diversity makes us more innovative and more creative, enables better decision making, and results in deeper, more effective engagement with clients. Additionally, the legal industry can directly impact the disenfranchised, making it even more important to understand and honor each individual’s diversity. This is why I am introducing a resolution encouraging the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board (PACLE) to mandate one ethics continuing legal education (CLE) credit and the Pennsylvania Continuing Judicial Education Board of Judges (PACJEB) to mandate one continuing judicial education (CJE) credit on diversity, equity and inclusion for every active lawyer, judge and justice in this Commonwealth. The public properly expects that practicing lawyers, judges, and justices will maintain certain standards of professional competence and ethical behavior, and this continuing legal education requirement seeks to provide a different perspective on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please join me in co-sponsoring this resolution to help ensure we are providing the best possible opportunities in our communities. |
Introduced as HR64