Q&A With Roger Maldonado

What have you changed about your approach to diversity and inclusion as a result of your involvement with TCDIP?

I’ve learned through TCDIP that our Twin Cities legal community, both law firms and corporate organizations, are trying extremely hard to improve the diverse numbers of attorneys in their organizations.  While most law firms have done a good job of getting diverse attorneys in the door, they’ve really struggled to get diverse attorneys to stay. I’ve learned from my interactions that I can be a very small part of the solution and make an impact in our legal community by supporting and being inclusive of my fellow diverse attorneys. I don’t have to wait for the rest of the profession to catch up. I can start impacting our profession by my everyday interactions and conversations.

What is your favorite TCDIP event, and why?

My favorite TCDIP event is the Emerging Lawyers Group social we’ve held at Punch Bowl Social in St. Louis Park the last two years.  We always get a great showing from ELG members, law students, and TCDIP board members. We also encourage people to bring their partners and families to the event. It’s a great way to get know each other beyond the workplace. In fact, after the event last year, Paula Kanne (my favorite attorney at Dorsey) and her husband Ryan took my wife and little one out for a ride on their boat around Lake Minnetonka.

Why is diversity and inclusion important?

We continue to rank dead last in diversity behind other industries  (healthcare, financing and accounting, education, entertainment, etc.). It’s vital to the health of our profession in the marketplace that we catch up and improve in terms of our diverse numbers.