Diversity is the Future of the Legal Workplace

Technology isn’t the only thing changing the face of the profession. In the next 40 years, the United States will not have a single ethnic majority. As our population increasingly becomes more diverse, our clients and our colleagues will as well.

Just as lawyers are tasked with adopting new technology to remain relevant, so too must the profession incorporate varied perspectives into our organizations. To stay competitive, the legal profession must invest in its members. Diversifying the workplace with different genders, races, and nationalities is key for the continued growth and success of our businesses.

As a profession, it is inherent that our workforce reflect the diversity of our consumers. Business demands it. Now, more than ever before, lawyers and our legal organizations must embrace diversity and inclusion.

Speaker Bio

Dennis is an Assistant General Counsel for Microsoft, leading the legal support function to Microsoft’s U.S. Central Region Enterprise & Partner Group team. In this role, he negotiates complex licensing, cloud computing, and consulting services and provides counsel in the areas of privacy, cybersecurity, antitrust, compliance & ethics, intellectual property, employment law, and dispute resolution.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Dennis worked as an in-house counsel for Accenture and IBM. Having made a name for himself in the legal and tech community, Dennis serves on the Board of Directors of Illinois Legal Aid Online and the Association of Corporate Counsel – Chicago Chapter. He also is a Fellow of Information Privacy, a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States and a Certified Information Privacy Technologist with the International Association of Privacy Professionals.