Overview
Law.com International featured Steptoe's Brussels office in an article titled "'It's a White Man's Territory': The Long Road to Belgium's First Diversity in Law Group." The article discusses the first-ever diversity initiative in Belgium's legal industry – the Legal Diversity & Inclusion Alliance (LDIA) – which was led by Steptoe and Van Bael & Bellis. Launched in 2019, the LDIA seeks to build a workplace in which everyone benefits from equal treatment and opportunities.
Kat Van Nuffel, LDIA chair and founder, and director of the Brussels office of Steptoe says, "There is a growing focus on D&I in law firms in Belgium." She notes that several law firms were firmly on the right track, but that others struggled to muster up the needed time and resources.
To foster more engagement, Van Nuffel called for more law firms to introduce a billable hour credit for D&I activities and to focus on specific training programs, for instance, around unconscious bias. Though Belgium's legal industry has come a long way, Van Nuffel says: "There is still a lot of work to be done. We must continue to make efforts to achieve a truly diverse and inclusive workplace."
The full article can be read at Law.com International (subscription required).