Diversity

NALP report on law firm diversity highlights ‘incredibly slow pace of change’

The percentage of female and black associates increased slightly in law firms in 2016, though the representation is still below 2009 levels, according to a new report by the National Association for Law Placement. The report (PDF) also found increases in the percentage of female and black partners, as well…

Jan 4, 2017 10:05 AM CST

#BlackLawyersMatter inspires movement to increase representation in law

When third-year law student Micah Green came across the hashtag #BlackLawyersMatter in an online article, he quickly realized it was more than just a catchy phrase.

Jan 1, 2017 3:30 AM CST

Law firms provide innovative family benefits that cater to moms

In an effort to retain and attract female lawyers, some law firms have begun rolling out programs to help working mothers. An increasing number of firms are providing targeted counseling for women to help them manage the stress of being working mothers.

Jan 1, 2017 3:20 AM CST

Legal groups urge Trump to consider diversity in appointments, support inclusion

The leaders of five legal groups have written an open letter to President-elect Donald Trump that urges his administration and Congress to “lead the nation towards unity and inclusion.” The letter was sent by the leaders of the National Association of Women Lawyers, Ms. JD, the LGBT Bar, the National…

Dec 9, 2016 1:37 PM CST

Asian-American bar officials acknowledge fears amid hate crime reports; more resources offered

Members of Asian-American bar associations are acknowledging some fears as their groups raise concerns about hate crimes and troubling rhetoric. Among those reporting disturbing incidents is Cyndie Chang, managing partner of the Los Angeles office of Duane Morris and president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the National…

Nov 28, 2016 10:44 AM CST

Judge denies law prof’s request for bar-exam racial data

A judge in California has denied a law professor’s request for racial data on would-be lawyers who took the state bar exam. Judge Mary Wiss of San Francisco said the anonymous data would violate personal privacy rights because it could be used to identify individuals, report the Wall Street Journal…

Nov 8, 2016 9:03 AM CST

Decline in first-year female associates at large NY law firms raises pipeline concerns, survey says

Women made up 45 percent of first-year associates in large New York City law firms last year, a drop of five percentage points since 2004, a survey has found. The finding “raises concerns about the erosion of the associate pipeline,” according to the survey report (PDF) by the New York…

Oct 17, 2016 11:01 AM CDT

BigLaw could retain more women by hiring from lower-ranked schools, research suggests

Female graduates of law schools ranked in the top 10 are more likely to make an early exit from BigLaw than female grads of lower-tier schools. After their first three to five years in BigLaw, women from top 10 law schools leave their firms at a much higher rate than…

Sep 21, 2016 9:47 AM CDT

Davis Polk announces recruiting effort aimed at women who left the firm to raise children

As an attempt to increase diversity, Davis Polk & Wardwell recently started a program that recruits women who left the firm to raise their children. The offering, which the firm calls “Davis Polk Revisited,” targets lawyers who practiced there for at least three years, and have been gone for two…

Sep 15, 2016 10:30 AM CDT

Create more opportunities for demographically diverse attorneys, House of Delegates urges

A resolution urging legal services providers—large law firms, in-house legal departments and others—to expand opportunities for attorneys of all backgrounds met with strong approval in the ABA’s House of Delegates Monday afternoon. On a day when several measures on diversity and inclusion in the legal profession met with support in…

Aug 8, 2016 5:25 PM CDT

Implicit bias is a challenge even for judges

Judges are tasked with being the most impartial members of the legal profession. On Friday afternoon, more than 50 of them discussed how this isn’t so easy to do—and perhaps even impossible when it comes to implicit bias. But working to overcome biases we don’t recognize is a job that…

Aug 5, 2016 9:58 PM CDT

The Joy is in the Journey: A year of meeting members, giving back, advancing diversity and inclusion

Deck: Paulette Brown recounts a presidential year of meeting members, giving back, advancing diversity and inclusion.

Aug 1, 2016 4:00 AM CDT

Mindfulness plays role in educating lawyers to confront racism

Contemplative practices help equip lawyers to address racism and other ongoing issues.

Aug 1, 2016 2:20 AM CDT

ABA President Paulette Brown addresses breaking events while maintaining focus on key initiatives

Outgoing President Paulette Brown has addressed breaking events while maintaining her focus on key initiatives.

Aug 1, 2016 1:20 AM CDT

$10K prize-winning hackathon team dreams up new compensation model for law firms

A hackathon isn’t an everyday law school competition. Many lawyers may not even know what one is. But Stanford Law School’s inaugural Women In Law Hackathon offered a fresh spin on a legal tech trend: Instead of a bunch of programmers getting together to develop software, this hackathon was intended…

Jun 28, 2016 12:43 PM CDT