Hennepin County Bar Association Highlights CB Baga’s Practice and Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

Hennepin County Bar Association profiles associate CB Baga, highlighting their insight on bringing more diversity and equity to the legal industry.

Baga told the publication that they always knew they wanted to practice law, and was instilled with a desire for a more equitable world from a young age. When it comes to equality in justice, Baga said “traditional concepts of equality don’t work.” Instead, they believe a more nuanced approach with tailored responses should be employed.

Baga took their drive for equality and law and founded a legal clinic for the LGBTQ community before they even graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School. Since starting the clinic, Baga has realized that a holistic approach is especially important in pro bono representation. Baga encourages volunteer attorneys to consider their client’s overall situation rather than focusing solely on rigid legal principles.

“There’s a lot of people who throw up their hands and say, ‘We can’t change these institutional things,’” Baga said, emphasizing that the legal community should not accept the status quo.

Baga pushes themselves to improve the relations between the law and those it serves; Baga wants to change the perception and reality of legal institutions for historically marginalized communities—who avoid seeking legal help because their experience has taught them that the legal system is inherently harmful.

Baga also noted the improvement that could be made in recruiting and retaining more diverse talent in the legal profession because of the unique perspective they bring to the table. As a self-described queer, nonbinary attorney, they believe LGBTQ people might approach legal issues with greater creativity by reimagining structures and finding creative solutions to problems without following the traditional “script.”