Chartwell Law Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with Joseph Suarez

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Chartwell Law attorneys share their views on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their personal and professional lives.  This week, we hear from Joseph Suarez of our Miami office.

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Can you tell us about a specific experience or Hispanic figure who influenced you?

My grandfather fled Cuba due to political persecution in the 1950’s. He came to the United States with my grandmother, mother, and aunt without knowing the language or having any financial resources. He made that difficult decision to immigrate to a country he knew was founded on principles of freedom, equality, and the rule of law. My family’s experiences formed the basis of why I wanted to go to law school.

How do you view the importance of diversity and inclusion in today’s workplace?

Diversity and inclusion are extremely important to have in all areas of the workplace. I believe that having a diverse group of individuals working toward common goals not only shows that a business values different backgrounds and experiences, but also increases morale, innovation, performance, and general productivity.

What diversity and inclusion changes would you like to see in the future of the legal industry?

The legal industry should strive to increase its hiring of diverse candidates. The legal industry as a whole would benefit from having more lawyers and administrative professionals that reflect the makeup of the clients we serve. Lawyers should continue to take diversity and inclusion into account as they attempt to adapt to, and thrive in, a changing world, and one way to accomplish that is through hiring practices.