CLASS OF 2021
Leaving the comfort zone
Liliane Roriz of Licks Attorneys in Brazil explores how her experience as an appellate judge and her passion for promoting D&I helps her to impart a unique perspective to clients.
What attracted you to the world of IP?
What attracted me the most is how complex and strategic the world of IP is. I am constantly faced with intellectual challenges which, along with my background as appellate judge, bring new perspectives that inspire me to strive for excellence. As a partner at Licks Attorneys, I challenge myself every day when analysing cases and bringing a unique point of view to clients.
These elements allow me to anticipate potential hindrances and create a strong and enforceable strategy. The fact that IP is growing at a fast pace even—or especially—during crises shows us how crucial it is for our society, as it influences our lives every day. I consider IP to be the perfect area for me to make a continued difference in legal matters.
What can be done to attract more women and people from diverse backgrounds to IP?
In October 2020, Licks Attorneys held a “Women: IP & Innovation” event that highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the legal profession, with a focus on IP.
We were supported by national and international institutions, including the World Intellectual Property Organization. During the event, we heard from women in leadership positions from the Brazilian IP Office, the US Chambers of Commerce and the heads of IP departments of multinational industries sharing their experience with the public, mostly young professionals. It was a huge success.
By example, we were able to show how important it is to have diverse teams within the work environment and encourage minorities to become even more empowered. I believe that by showing our engagement we can help normalise diversity, so that people from all backgrounds will be inspired to join IP.
The publication of articles such as this one also helps to raise IP awareness of D&I.
Is the legal profession doing enough to promote D&I?
Most sectors still have a lot of room for improvements towards D&I. It’s important to include D&I in strategy and financial planning to achieve relevant and satisfactory results.
This is an opportunity for law firms: the one that chooses to take a step further and implement a well-structured plan will have a competitive advantage over other firms.
This step demands making leaders aware that the promotion of D&I can achieve lasting results in the long term.
What impact has COVID-19 had on D&I initiatives?
In November 2020, McKinsey & Company published the findings from its study of 1,122 executives and 2,656 employees across 11 countries .The study examined the impact of COVID-19 on women, the LGBT+ community, people of colour and working parents.
The research found that only one in six people from these diverse groups felt more supported by their employers now than in pre-COVID times. Conversely, the same research found that each of the groups was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
These findings highlight that pre-existing inequalities have been amplified by the pandemic, and diverse employees report experiencing additional challenges more acutely than their non-diverse counterparts. This supports an urgent approach to proper D&I action.
The leaders of business organisations, including law firms, need to truly understand how to support D&I initiatives in a way that can make a difference at an individual level. Leaders need to take part in this conversation especially during critical times such as COVID-19.
”This new post-pandemic scenario will show leaders all over the world the importance of having diverse teams, backgrounds and ways of getting the job done.”
Liliane Roriz, Licks Attorneys
How are you involved in promoting diversity?
At Licks Attorneys, we aim to provide equal opportunities for everybody.
At the end of 2019, I led a D&I committee so that we could reorganise our internal processes and show our team why we are addressing this issue and how we will do it. We place great importance on this awareness so that our team may bring positive change not only inside the office, but outside as well.
Our aim is not only to create engagement among our employees, but also to carry out internal actions channeling efforts towards a change in organisational culture, with the objective of giving more opportunities to minorities and LGBT+ youth.
Who or what inspires you?
It is inspiring to see D&I awareness growing day by day, be it at law firms or other companies, through well-thought-out policies. Many positions currently held by women or minority groups show that things are changing.
It’s a constant effort that depends on all of us to make it happen. This inspires me to continue doing what I can to open up more paths and bring new opportunities to young professionals.
What advice would you give to those entering the IP profession?
Hard work and a proactive approach is essential. Clients’ interests are the basis of everything, so always try to understand their businesses and needs. Be aware that the IP profession is related to innovation.
Be open-minded so you can learn something completely new and emerge out of your comfort zone every single day. This will help you figure out solutions that will make you stand out from the competition.
What are your hopes for D&I in the future?
Organisations are starting to adapt to a changed world. This new post-pandemic scenario will show leaders all over the world the importance of having diverse teams, backgrounds and ways of getting the job done. I hope that in the future, D&I in organisations will become so normal that we won’t need to advocate on the subject ever again.
Liliane Roriz is a partner at Licks Attorneys in Brazil. She can be contacted at: liliane.roriz@lickslegal.com
Images, from top: Shutterstock / Salty View, mundosemfim