Diversity and the Law Firm
Today's firms want to attract, retain, and promote professional staff from a wide variety of backgrounds. They hope to create an environment that values everyone's contributions to the workplace. This means everyone in the firm should respect others that are different in terms of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.
To do this, you may want to consider creating a diversity committee. This committee will identify and address challenges in four areas: mentoring, work opportunity and environment, education, and communication.
Some firms go a step further and hire a full-time Diversity Manager. The manager works with the committee to coordinate initiatives. They help all lawyers and staff with diversity and inclusion issues.
Your diversity committee should be made up of partners, associates and other staff. Most meet on a quarterly basis. Their purpose is to develop specific programs to do the following:
- Improve all lawyers' experiences
- Increase diversity at all levels, including the partnership level
- Create greater inclusion and communication for the benefit of everyone
- Becoming leaders in diversity
To accomplish this, the committee makes others aware of any diversity issues and provides education on these topics. They also help foster communication about issues in the firm. Some initiatives might include:
- Giving affinity groups authority to strengthen the support systems among different groups
- Increase training for associates with diverse backgrounds
- Involve affinity groups in recruiting
- Strengthen bonds with programs that help enhance the pool of candidates to include more diverse candidates
- Holding recruiting events for those with various backgrounds
- Sponsor diversity presentations and professional development seminars
- Develop diversity and inclusion training
- Measure the success of these initiatives through internal analysis and third-party surveys
- Review best practices of well-known and successful diversity programs
- Participate with other organizations that promote diversity
Diverse members of the firm can play a critical role in the leadership of the firm. A diversity committee will help ensure that you are looking for and working with outstanding lawyers from diverse backgrounds.
