www.loubar.org 20 Louisville Bar Briefs MEETING MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS LBA Committee Meetings • Diversity & Inclusion Committee: Wed., August 12 | 4 p.m. via Zoom • CLE Committee: Thurs., August 13 | 1:30 p.m. via Zoom • Health & Wellness Committee: Thurs., August 20 | Noon via Zoom If you are interested in joining any of these committees, please contact Lisa Murray, [email protected]. n Association of Legal Administrators The monthly chapter meeting of the Kentucky Association of Legal Admin- istrators will be held in person on Thursday, August 13, beginning at 11:45 am at FBT Gibbons LLP (400 West Market, Suite 3200, Louisville, KY 40202.) Please RSVP by registering online at www.ky-ala.org. Any questions, please contact the Kentucky ALA Board at [email protected]. n Know a Luminary of our Legal Community? Nominate them for an LBA Award! The LBA is seeking nominations for its highest honors—the annual LBA Awards. Each year, we recognize our members who personify the best of our legal community with their work and professionalism. Do you know someone who deserves recognition? Read below for a description of each award and how you can make a nomination. Quick and easy nominations can be made online here: www.loubar.org/lba-annual-awards/ Nominations are due by Thursday, October 8. JUSTICE MARTIN E. JOHNSTONE SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD JUDGE BENJAMIN F. SHOBE CIVILITY & PROFESSIONALISM AWARD ROBERT & FRANK E. HADDAD JR. YOUNG LAWYER AWARD JUDGE OF THE YEAR AWARD PAUL G. TOBIN PRO BONO SERVICE AWARD DANIEL M. ALVAREZ CHAMPION FOR JUSTICE AWARD JUDGE RICHARD A. REVELL FAMILY LAW AWARD 1 2 3 4 5 6 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE AUGUST 9 UNITED NATIONS AUGUST 26 19 AMENDMENT TH Acknowledge your firm's pro bono work in humanitarian contexts World Humanitarian Day on August 19 is a good moment to recognize lawyers at your firm who provide pro bono representation to refugees, asylum seekers and displaced individuals. If that work is not happening, ask how to start. LBA Diversity & Inclusion Committee co-chaired by Michelle L. Duncan, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP and John E. Selent, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP August centers economic equity, women's rights and Indigenous recognition. For lawyers, each of these observances has a direct connection to the profession. The history we have built on, the gaps that remain and the clients we serve. Black Business Month ALL MONTH AUGUST 2026 Black Business Month honors the 2.6 million Black-owned businesses in the United States and calls attention to the structural barriers that continue to limit equitable access to capital, contracts and professional networks. For lawyers and law firms, this month is a prompt to look honestly at where business goes. Who are your referral partners? Who do you hire as vendors, consultants and co-counsel? Economic inclusion does not happen by default. It requires deliberate choices at every level of a practice, from the vendors who stock your breakroom to the firms you send clients to when a matter falls outside your expertise. PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE Six concrete actions to bring August’s awareness focuses into your day-to-day practice. Audit your referral network This month, take a look at who you refer clients to and who you hire. If Black-owned firms, vendors and co-counsel are not represented in your network, ask why and take a concrete step to change it. Go beyond the post on August 26 Women's Equality Day is a legal milestone worth knowing in full. Share the history with your team. Then follow it with a real question: do the women at your firm have equitable access to leadership, origination credit and mentorship? Learn about land acknowledgment In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day on August 9, research whether a land acknowledgment is appropriate for your firm's context. Done thoughtfully, it is a meaningful practice. Done carelessly, it is not. Take the time to do it right. Review your client-facing language access National Language Month is a practical prompt. Are your intake forms, client letters and website accessible to non-English speakers? Language access is not a courtesy. For many clients, it is the difference between getting help and going without. Intentionally support a Black-owned business this month As a firm, not just individually. Catering for your next team lunch, printing for your next event, supplies for your office. The choices are available. Black Business Month is the prompt to make them. This monthly feature is prepared by the LBA Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Questions, submissions or ideas for future columns are welcome. Contact Lisa at [email protected]. The D&I Committee works year-round to bring meaningful programming and honest conversation to the LBA and the Louisville legal community. New members from any practice area and experience level are welcome. The only requirement is a genuine commitment to the work. If this month's focuses sparked something for you, we'd love to hear from you. Contact Lisa M. Murray at [email protected] to learn more. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CORNER Designated by the United Nations and observed each August 9, this day recognizes the rights, histories and contributions of Indigenous communities worldwide. In the legal profession, Indigenous rights law is an active and consequential practice area. More broadly, this day invites reflection on land, sovereignty and the legal frameworks that have historically been used both to protect and to harm Indigenous peoples. International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples August 26 marks the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. For the legal profession, Women's Equality Day is more than a historical marker. Women now make up the majority of law school graduates in the United States, yet remain underrepresented in firm leadership, the judiciary and equity partnership. The day is a useful prompt to examine whether the workplace culture at your firm reflects the equality it marks on the calendar. Women's Equality Day
