Implicit Bias, a Hidden Risk for Ethical Lawyers
Implicit Bias, a Hidden Risk for Ethical Lawyers
Tuesday, Sept. 21 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Offered through a partnership with Iowa Hospital Association
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Lawyers once only had an obligation to “not openly discriminate.” But today, they must have a broader appreciation for the roles of race, gender and other protected factors across a host of decisions and possible microaggressions. Bias can not only affect lawyers in employment decisions but also in personal interactions. Although a lawyer’s ethical obligations require advocating for clients, unmanaged implicit bias can easily interfere with that duty. Health care attorneys must have a higher awareness of the risks of bias affecting the evaluation of medical professionals and patients. This session will explore the science of implicit bias and its relation to the practice of law, both generally and specific to heath care.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Describe the role of bias in medical care to better arm lawyers representing hospitals and health care organizations.
- Discuss advances in addressing or remedying the role of bias in decisions.
- Identify bias risks and advance the role lawyers in ensuring that race, gender and other immutable characteristics do not play a part in decision-making.
INTENDED AUDIENCES
- Health care lawyers.
- Hospital leadership.
- Human resource professionals.
SPEAKER
Thomas Newkirk is the founding partner in Newkirk Zwagerman and has been a civil rights attorney practicing in Iowa for more than 30 years. Newkirk has represented hundreds of people of color and women harmed by discrimination. During the last 20 years, He has devoted significant time to educating himself about implicit bias and developing methods to reduce bias as a risk in employment, the legal and medical professions, and civil and criminal justice. Besides being a practicing attorney, Newkirk is a sought-out specialist in implicit bias and has presented to, educated and trained people across all demographics. His work encourages organizations to apply science-based advances as they develop policies to reduce the harm created by gender and racial biases in the workplace. Newkirk graduated from Drake Law School.