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"Building a Culture of Ethical Inclusion"

Corporate firms have long expressed their support of the notion that their organizations should become more demographically diverse, while creating a culture that is inclusive of all members of the firm. These firms have traditionally, however, not been successful at improving demographic diversity and true inclusion within the upper echelons of their organizations. The reality that firms’ statements failed to live up to their realities, however, was upended after the #MeToo Movement of 2017 and 2018, which was followed by corporate support of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement in 2020. These two social movements, while distinct in many ways, forced firms to rethink how to approach the status of women and people of color within their organizations. It forced them to ask, yet again, but with renewed energy: “What is the best way to improve diversity and inclusion within firms?” I argue that in addition to pursuing the Business and Legal Cases for diversity when crafting diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) programs, firms should also employ the “Ethics Case,” which is necessary for creating a truly inclusive organizational culture.

Veronica Root Martinez joined the Duke Law faculty in 2022 from Notre Dame Law School, where she was a professor of law, the Robert & Marion Short Scholar, and director of the Program on Ethics, Compliance & Inclusion.

Martinez teaches Securities Litigation, Enforcement, & Compliance; Corporate Compliance & Ethics; Global Compliance Survey; Professional Responsibility; and Contracts. Her greatest professional joy is when her Contracts students begin to analyze cases like lawyers.