DENVER — After the Colorado Supreme Court changed continuing education requirements for licensed attorneys to include at least two hours in equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI), two non-profits have partnered to deliver one of the first opportunities to receive the training.
The Public Trust Institute and the Independence Institute* will offer a four-hour seminar that has been approved by the Colorado Supreme Court as a course meeting the requirements it set forth in April.
“As far as we know, this seminar is the first such seminar sponsored by a conservative group to be accredited in the county,” said Independence Institute Political Law Center Director Shayne Madsen, who will moderate the seminar. Madsen added it was important for the two groups to organize the seminar to balance the message. “We have a different point of view of EDI than others, including independence of thought.”
The seminar will include lunch and a presentation on constitutional litigation.
The Public Trust Institute is based in Denver with a focus on honesty, transparency, and ethics in government leadership, according to its website. “By engaging in high impact public interest litigation that has a direct and tangible impact on the people of Colorado, PTI will ensure that Colorado is a beacon of prosperity and opportunity for all Coloradans,” the website reads, adding it was “created to uphold our state’s constitution and defend the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility on which Colorado was founded.”
The Independence Institute provides research and analysis into state policy. Its mission is to “empower individuals and educate citizens, legislators and opinion makers about public policies that enhance personal and economic freedom,” its website says.
Concerned about attorneys recognizing systemic bias, the Colorado Supreme Court joined nearly a dozen other states in adding equity, diversity, and inclusivity training to its 45-hour continuing education requirements that lawyers must fulfill every three years. It falls into a seven-hour requirement of “professional responsibility.”
To meet the requirements set forth by the Supreme Court, the course must cover recognizing and eliminating bias in the legal profession, equal access and representing diverse populations.
The training will feature a presentation from Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick on recent changes Arizona’s court has made to increase access and decrease racial bias in the justice system.
Georgia Constitutional Law Professor Adam Lamparello will present on the “flaws of implicit bias and the need for empirical evidence in legal scholarship.”
And Dan Burrows, the legal director of the Public Trust Institute will present on “constitutional litigation for everyday litigators.”
Independence Institute President Jon Caldara will be the luncheon speaker. He will discuss the importance of diversity of thought in the media, business, and charitable organizations.
The Oct. 14th event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Independence Institute, 727 E 16th Ave., Denver (free parking is available on site). Cost is $25 and includes lunch and course materials. Walk-ins are welcome, and registration is open at www.121.org/CLE. For more information email info@i2i.org.
Attorneys who cannot attend in person will be able to take the class online, for the same fee after the class is posted.
*Independence Institute is the non-profit publisher of Complete Colorado
