Equality as Talisman: Getting Beyond Bias to Cultural Competence as a Professional Skill

Abstract

The equality of individuals as a self-evident truth defines the national conscience. Lawyers and other professionals must get beyond bias in order to serve their professional missions. They do so not simply through commitment to equal regard for each client but more so by developing the professional skills to serve each equal client uniquely. Lawyers and other professionals must develop and exercise cultural competence. This co-authored article offers a model for the culturally competent professional in five areas including communication, cognition, relationship, resources, and references.

Keywords: culture, cultural, competence, equality, model, ethics, skill