Elimination of Bias: Cultivating diversity and inclusion in the legal field

Kenneth E. Sharperson | Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby LLP

Kenneth serves as national counsel for clients in sophisticated insurance coverage litigation and commercial litigation matters before federal and state trial and appellate courts.

Kenneth handles the defense of claims related to directors and officers (D&O) insurance matters, mass tort and environmental issues, media, technology and cyber liability, residual value insurance, financial institution bonds, errors and omissions, employment practices liability insurance, property insurance and professional liability matters.

Kenneth also handles the defense of claims in a manner that preserves or improves the insurer’s relationship with its insured, especially where liability and coverage are relatively clear in the underlying claim.

Kenneth is part of the Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance’s Education Working Group. This group focuses on how structural racism informs various areas of law and is responsible for producing research papers and other work products. The information will be included in the Systemic Racism Legal Inventory. He also received his certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida. Earners of the certificate, have learned the essential practices and tools designed to increase employee diversity and to create a business model that embraces equity and inclusion.

In 2021, Kenneth received the Oliver Randolph Award from the Garden State Bar Association. This honor is in recognition of Sharperson excelling in his professional endeavors and exhibiting an unwavering commitment to service. In 2020, he was recognized by the New Jersey Law Journal as one of the Trailblazers in Law for his efforts to diversify the legal profession. In 2019, Kenneth was recognized by the New Jersey Law Journal as one of the Diverse Attorneys of the Year.

I. Addressing the underrepresentation of diverse groups within the legal field | 12:00pm – 12:20pm

II. How to create a legal profession that is representative of the diverse communities that law firms serve | 12:20pm – 12:40pm

III. Strategies and initiatives to promote a more diverse and inclusive legal profession | 12:40pm – 1:00pm