Promoting Diversity and Pro Bono in Law Firms

Both as a simple question of morality and as a business benefit in an era of globalization, the importance of having diversity in law firms as well as in legal departments is beyond argument from my perspective. Women, minorities, and lawyers from other cultures should be given an equal chance to be hired and promoted—and should be given “stretch” assignments just as frequently as all other lawyers so they are able to show how far they can advance. In making decisions about whether to retain firms, General Counsel and inside lawyers can, at a minimum, ask the outside counsel firm for the diversity profile of the firm (associates, partners, leaders) and the trends in that profile.