Justia Connect Webinars Viewpoint Diversity: Engaging in Civil Courageous Conversations

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Overview AI Webinar Summary

Viewpoint Diversity: Engaging in Civil Courageous Conversations

The legal profession is built on principled disagreement — yet today’s climate of polarization can make difficult conversations inside law firms, courts, agencies, and corporate legal departments feel more combustible than constructive. Topics such as abortion, immigration, gun regulation, affirmative action, climate policy, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender-affirming care can surface in client matters, workplace interactions, community leadership roles, and even everyday colleague conversations. When discussions become charged, the risk is more than discomfort: communication breakdowns can impact professionalism, teamwork, client service, and trust.

This interactive CLE equips attorneys and legal professionals with practical tools to engage across differences with clarity, civility, and “civil courage” — the ability to speak honestly while preserving dignity, respect, and psychological safety. Participants will learn techniques for discussing contentious issues without escalating conflict, stereotyping opposing viewpoints, or shutting down dialogue. The session includes structured, facilitated role-plays using realistic legal workplace and practice scenarios (e.g., client counseling, team disagreements, leadership decisions, public-facing moments, and cross-functional collaboration). Facilitators/neutral moderators support participants in practicing inquiry, framing, and response strategies that promote mutual understanding — even when agreement is not the goal.

Learning outcomes (participants will be able to):

Distinguish viewpoint diversity from other forms of difference and understand why it matters in legal workplaces and client-facing roles
Understand why viewpoint diversity is essential for a thriving law practice
Apply practical frameworks for civil discourse in high-stakes, high-emotion settings
Practice “civil courage” framework for responding to inflammatory statements, bias-laden assumptions, and tense moments while maintaining professionalism
Recognize common derailers (moral injury triggers, identity threat, contempt spirals, performative debate) and intervene early
Strengthen a culture of respect and belonging without demanding ideological conformity

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: February 11, 2026 10:00 AM PT

Webinar Highlights

This webinar is divided into section summaries, which you can scan for key points and then dive into the sections that interest you the most.

00:00 Introduction

Ama K. Karikari is a notable author and consultant with expertise in social issues, business, and law, and she will discuss viewpoint diversity and civil conversations. The presentation aims to inspire understanding and provide tools for respectful cross-perspective conversations. Ama explains viewpoint diversity as encompassing varied perspectives on social norms, politics, economics, and more.

05:34 Understanding Viewpoint Diversity

Ama discusses the range of perspectives on hot-button issues like animal testing, AI, abortion, and more. She encourages audience interaction by asking them to share additional hot-button topics. Ama explains that various factors, such as gender, socioeconomic status, and personal experiences, can influence viewpoints. She emphasizes that these factors do not determine views but may influence them. Examples include how personal experiences, like a serious injury, can change one's perspective on accessibility. Ama invites the audience to share other factors that might influence perspectives, highlighting the diversity of influences.

12:06 Benefits of Viewpoint Diversity

Ama highlights the importance of viewpoint diversity in expanding self-awareness and maturity. She explains that self-awareness involves understanding one's feelings and motives in relation to others. Emotional maturity allows individuals to hear differing opinions without feeling attacked. Viewpoint diversity fosters intellectual humility, inspiring individuals to learn and grow in knowledge. It helps expose biases and sharpen reasoning skills, preventing confirmation bias and groupthink. Ama provides examples of groupthink and its historical consequences, emphasizing the need for diverse perspectives.

32:42 Tools for Civil Discourse

Ama discusses tools for civil discourse, emphasizing the importance of establishing ground rules for respectful conversations. She advises using discernment when engaging in conversations, especially with individuals who may not be open to differing views. Ground rules include active listening, confidentiality, and respectful communication without name-calling. Ama encourages brainstorming additional ground rules and highlights the importance of intention in communication. She shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the complexity of offense and the need for mindfulness in conversations.

56:13 Practical Applications and Examples

Ama presents practical examples to illustrate viewpoint diversity, such as differing perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines and transgender athletes in sports. She emphasizes the importance of considering individual experiences and backgrounds in understanding diverse viewpoints. Ama introduces restorative circles as a tool for fostering civil discourse and team building. These circles promote active listening and non-hierarchical communication, allowing participants to share and be heard. She concludes by summarizing the benefits of viewpoint diversity and the tools discussed for engaging in civil conversations.

Please note this AI-generated summary provides a general overview of the webinar but may not capture all details, nuances, or the exact words of the speaker. For complete accuracy, please refer to the original webinar recording.

Speaker

Ama K. Karikari President & Founder
Milestales

Ama K. Karikari, Esq. is the founder of Milestales Publishing and Education Consulting and the author of The Talk: A Black Family’s Conversation about Racism and Police Brutality, Sunne’s Gift: How Sunne Overcame Bullying to Reclaim the Gift, and other best-selling books. Read More ›

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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Alabama CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Ethics

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2026

Alaska CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Ethics

Earn Credit Until: February 10, 2031

California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Civility in the Legal Profession

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026

Hawaii CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Ethics

Earn Credit Until: February 10, 2028

Illinois CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Professional Responsibility - Ethics / Civility / Professionalism / Sexual Harassment Prevention

Earn Credit Until: February 10, 2028

Nebraska CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Professional Responsibility

Earn Credit Until: February 11, 2028

New Jersey CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.20 Ethics/Professionalism

Earn Credit Until: February 10, 2027

Ohio CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Attorney Professional Conduct

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2026

Pennsylvania CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Ethics, Professionalism, or Substance Abuse

Earn Credit Until: February 10, 2028

South Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Difficulty: All Levels

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2026

Texas CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Earn Credit Until: January 31, 2027

West Virginia CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.20 Legal Ethics, etc.

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2029

This presentation is approved for one hour of Ethics CLE credit in Alabama, one hour of Ethics CLE credit in Alaska, one hour of Civility in the Legal Profession CLE credit in California, one hour of Ethics CLE credit in Hawaii, one hour of Professional Responsibility - Ethics / Civility / Professionalism / Sexual Harassment Prevention CLE credit in Illinois, one hour of Professional Responsibility CLE credit in Nebraska, one hour of Attorney Professional Conduct CLE credit in Ohio, one hour of Ethics, Professionalism, or Substance Abuse CLE credit in Pennsylvania, one hour of Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility CLE credit in South Carolina (all levels), and one hour of Legal Ethics, etc. CLE credit in West Virginia. This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 1.20 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 1.20 qualify as total hours of credit for Ethics/Professionalism. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.00 credit hours, of which 1.00 credit hours will apply to Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit.

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