There has been much reporting that despite law firms' efforts in enhancing their diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the results are mixed across firms. The industry has historically suffered from a lack of diversity in hiring, resulting in limited perspectives, unequal representation, and systemic biases. The need for building a more diverse legal workplace may have already boiled over if the industry does not look at ways to improve its DEI work. The legal profession must reflect the communities it serves.
Industry trends continue to show lackluster diversity across the legal workplace
According to Leopard Solutions' 2022 State of the Legal Industry Report, the gender breakdown among partners in the Top 200 Firms is 27% women and 73% men. The report also reveals that in 2022, women only made up 41% of partner promotions, whereas men accounted for 59%.
When examining the likelihood of gender or ethnic diversity among attorneys, the 2022 Top 200 firms ranked in the Leopard Law Firm Index (LLFI) have an average representation of 45% of attorneys who fall into gender or ethnic-diverse categories.
When we look at the gender breakdown of these top 200 firms ranked on the LLFI, the percentages of their partners who are gender diverse ranged between 16% to 43%
The representation of Asian American lawyers only increased from 2.5% in 2021 to 5.5% in 2022, while the percentage of Hispanic lawyers rose from 3.5% in 2012 to 5.8% in 2022, a decade later, according to a recent National Lawyer Population survey.
The NALP (National Association of Legal Professionals) Survey conducted in 2021 across 849 law offices nationwide reported that only 3,653 lawyers who responded (3.7%) identified themselves as LGBTQ, while 865 lawyers (1.22%) self-identify themselves as with disabilities.
Can we do more?
Law firms and the legal industry are actively addressing diversity through DEI programs and initiatives. But evaluating their effectiveness is crucial to create real change. By actively measuring and assessing these initiatives, we can identify areas for improvement, celebrate successes, and ensure meaningful impact on diversity in the industry.
To gather further insights from DEI leaders driving these programs, Leopard Solutions is conducting a survey inviting program leaders to share their experiences. This survey aims to assess the impact of diversity officers in law firms and gain valuable perspectives on their essential work. All leaders of DEI programs are invited to participate, and results combined with Leopard Solutions’ in-depth analysis will be shared in the coming months. Learn more about Leopard Solutions on Diversity: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/benchmark-diversity-in-law-2023/
