How Law Firms are Increasing Minority Hiring to Develop a More Diverse Workforce

Summary

Minority hiring has become increasingly important to law firms across the nation. As firms strive to increase diversity and inclusion, they are focusing on recruiting and hiring more minority attorneys to ensure their firms reflect their client base. To accomplish this, firms have targeted a variety of strategies, including placing greater emphasis on recruiting at historically Black colleges and universities, creating internal diversity initiatives, and diversifying their networks of mentors and recruiters.


Law firms have recognized the importance of investing in minority communities by providing increased access to education, mentorship, and professional qualifications. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) offer an excellent talent pool for law firms to recruit from. By targeting these schools and reaching out to underrepresented students, firms have the opportunity to attract and retain minority attorneys that may not have previously been part of their applicant pool.

In addition to recruiting from HBCUs, law firms have implemented internal diversity initiatives to promote the retention and development of minority attorneys. These initiatives are often tied to firm-wide initiatives that focus on inclusion, such as educational and mentorship programs, affinity groups, and diversity committees. By creating an environment that is inclusive of all attorneys, regardless of race, law firms can ensure that minority attorneys can fully participate and be successful within the firm.

Finally, law firms are increasing the diversity of their networks of mentors and recruiters. By recruiting minority partners and associates, law firms are able to build and maintain relationships with the organizations that they would not have access to in the past. This helps to create a pipeline of diverse candidates, which in turn encourages more minority attorneys to apply to the firm.

Overall, law firms have begun to recognize the importance of minority hiring. They are creating initiatives and recruiting from a variety of sources to ensure their firms reflect their client base. By creating a diverse and inclusive work environment, law firms can better serve their clients and also foster an environment where all attorneys can succeed.

Questions Answered In This Article

 

The Need for Increasing Diversity in the Legal Profession

The legal profession has been traditionally male-dominated for decades, with very few minorities playing a role in the industry. However, recent years have seen a proliferation of diverse ethnic backgrounds in what used to be a homogenous profession. Law firms of all sizes are embracing diversity and implementing policies promoting minority hiring and retention. In today's market, many law firms are focusing on recruiting and retaining minority attorneys to create an inclusive and comprehensive legal system.
 

Minority Hiring Policies in Law Firms

To increase diversity in the legal profession, law firms are now recruiting minority attorneys and promoting major management initiatives. This is being done in the hopes of creating a legal system that is accessible to everyone. To achieve this goal, many firms are trying to attract, retain and promote minority attorneys. This is because it is widely believed that a diverse legal team will help create a more equitable justice system that values and respects everyone.
 

Diversity as an Aspect of Good Business Practice

Most law firms have made diversity a key component of their business strategy, believing that by promoting a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment, their firm will be better positioned to provide a broad range of legal services to meet the needs of their clients. As many states across the country are experiencing an increasing influx of immigrants and people of color, it is essential for law firms to create a team that is representative of the population and can provide legal assistance to all members of society.
 

The Importance of Mentorship and Education

In addition to recruiting and retaining minority attorneys, many firms are providing mentoring programs and educational opportunities to ensure that these attorneys reach their full potential. By offering these initiatives, law firms can provide meaningful opportunities for minority attorneys to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in their profession. Through mentorship and educational initiatives, firms can create an environment that provides a platform for professional development and ensures that minority attorneys are respected and valued in their organization.
 

The Need for Continued Efforts

It is evident that law firms are taking steps to increase diversity in the legal profession. However, there is still much work to be done. To ensure equity and justice for all members of society, law firms must continue to implement and promote policies that foster diversity and create an inclusive workplace. Through such efforts, the legal profession can become more representative of society and be better positioned to provide justice for all.

Despite hits to hiring in general because of the economic downturn, major law firms across the country are under pressure to continue efforts to diversify their legal staffs.

 

"There's the case for doing it because it's the right thing to do, and then there is the case that it is good for business," said James Bourne, president of the Indiana State Bar Association. He has made increasing minority involvement a goal of his tenure.

"Our clients, especially large corporations, are requiring the law firms they work with to provide them with statistical information and encouraging the assignment of minority attorneys to their matters," said Alison Dreizen, partner in charge of diversity at White, Case in New York City.

That firm has about 1,600 attorneys, more than half of them in offices outside the United States.

The National Association for Law Placement's most recent study, released last fall, showed that 3.71 percent of minority attorney are partners in major law firms, an incremental increase from the previous year.

"The profession has not achieved its goal to have representation that equates to representation in law school classes," said Jerry Nash, deputy director of NALP.

He pointed to the June Supreme Court decision affirming the University of Michigan School of Law's admission policy, saying the focus on the front-end of admissions has a direct impact on the output into the profession.

With larger numbers of minority law students, "the hiring base is much broader, giving us an available pool of talent that inevitably leads to a greater mix," Dreizer said.

Cynthia-Clare Tagoe, a native of Ghana who joined White, Case as an associate after she received her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2001,said diversity is welcomed at that firm.

"It takes all kinds to make what we do work, in all legal markets around the world," she said.

Retaining attorneys of color is as crucial as hiring them. At White, Case, a new program randomly assigns a coach to every associate to answer questions and guide their careers. The firm organizes attorneys into small practice areas.

"It's harder to get lost in the crunch," Dreizen said.

Diversity training focused on law firms begins this fall at the leadership level.

"Experimentation helps each firm determine what is going to work best for them in retention," Dreizen said.

Indiana's Bourne was the driving force in a recent Diversity Summit. Managing partners from firms with 10 or more members, managers of corporate and government legal departments, deans of the state's four law schools and representatives of other bar associations in the state, including the three minority bar associations, attended.

Bourne's goals are twofold: to increase the minority representation in the state bar and to encourage greater participation from minority members who currently belong. Acknowledging and embracing the difference a minority person brings to the firm helps make minority attorneys more comfortable and get their careers on track, participants heard. Having a mentor, whether a minority or not, is important.

The economic downturn has reduced turnover as well as total hiring. Junior associates are staying in their first jobs longer.

"Firms are focused on having their classes be as representative as possible," Dreizer said. "It gives hope that in 10 or 15 years, we won't be talking about this subject."


This story appeared in the September, 2003 edition of The National Jurist, www.nationaljurist.com.