The Daily Journal's diversity blind spot just went to print

I'm a big fan of the Daily Journal. I check out the headlines every day. I'm also grateful and proud that my law partner, Bob Sacks and I were both profiled recently among Top Estate and Wealth Management Lawyers. As a fan, I have to say that I was disappointed when I opened the supplement last week on Oct. 22, for the "Top 40 Under 40."  When I scanned the images of faces of the "Top 40" it surprised me that the Daily Journal editorial staff had considered all of the lawyers in California, and couldn't, didn't, or hadn't identified a single African-American attorney in the bunch. When I looked closer and flipped through the pages of the supplement, my initial impression was confirmed.

I'm not sure exactly what to say. No, I'm not expecting a "quota," but it is impossible for me to believe that not one single African-American attorney was qualified, under whatever standards applied, to include in the supplement. It also seems surprising, if not shocking, that even after coming up with a list, that nobody on the editorial team looked at the pictures, as I did, and wondered if there had been an oversight in failing to identify or include a single African-American attorney in this supplement.

Something is wrong here. And at a time when cultures, identities and histories are erased, the Daily Journal should do so much better.