HCBA Lawyer Magazine Vol. 28, No. 3 | Page 10

E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ’ S M E S S A G E J o h n F. K y n e s - H i l l s b o r o u g h C o u n t y B a r A s s o c i a t i o n aba President hilarie bass shines Light on implicit bias at 21st annual bench bar Conference Luncheon N even though women comprise 45 percent of law firm associates, they account for only 19 percent of equity partners in private firms. o doubt the legal profession is in the midst of a period of “transformational” change. Competition from alternative service providers, pressure to reduce legal costs and spending, and the use of artificial intelligence and technology to handle routine legal issues. These are just a few of the new challenges lawyers face today. But are these challenges to the legal status quo the same for all attorneys, regardless of gender, race, disability, and sexual orientation? 8 American Bar Association President Hilarie Bass discussed this topic — and particularly as it relates to women in the legal profession — in her luncheon address at the HCBA’s 21st Annual Bench Bar Conference on Oct. 25 at the Tampa Downtown Hilton. In her remarks, Bass, a partner and co-president of Greenberg Traurig in Miami, talked about one of her major presidential Continued on page 9 Hilarie Bass JAN - FEB 2018 | HCBA LAWYER