Top 50 Biglaw Firm Offers Associates 50 Billable Hours For Diversity & Inclusion Work

This firm is hoping to make diversity in the workplace a reality.

onOctober 19, 2021 at 2:14 PMOctober 19, 2021 at 1:57 PM

Biglaw firms across the country are implementing all manner of initiatives to bring attention to the importance of diversity and inclusion among their ranks. We’ve previously acknowledged Dorsey & Whitney, Hogan Lovells, Davis Wright Tremaine, Reed Smith, Cooley, Baker McKenzie, Ropes & Gray, Locke Lord, and Foley Hoag as firms where approved diversity and inclusion-related work will be billable for attorneys and will count toward bonus thresholds. We just received word that yet another Biglaw firm has rolled out a similar program to show just how dedicated it is to furthering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession.

K&L Gates — a firm that brought in $1,019,674,000 gross revenue in 2020 — recently announced that all attorneys across its global offices would be able to receive up to 50 hours of billable credit for their qualifying internal and external diversity and inclusion work. Here’s an excerpt from the firm’s press release on its new policy:

Any lawyer, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, gender, gender expression, gender identity, or sexual orientation, in any of the firm’s offices can earn diversity hours under the new policy.

Lawyers can receive credit for their participation in a broad range of diversity and inclusion activities, including, among others, assistance with recruiting diverse or women candidates; involvement in mentoring/pipeline activities for diverse or women law students; engagement in external programs specifically aimed at the mentoring, training, or recruitment of diverse or women law students; presenting at internal diversity and inclusion professional development activities; participating on firm diversity or [Women in Profession] WIP committees; presenting or participating in external diversity or WIP-focused seminars, conferences, or publications; leadership or other substantive work in diversity or WIP programs; and involvement in activities aimed at connecting with diverse client contacts.

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Jim Segerdahl, K&L Gates Global Managing Partner, emphasized that having a diverse and inclusive workforce was “critical” to the firm’s success and the success of its lawyers. “Investing time in activities that further promote diversity and inclusion at our firm and within its surrounding communities is an integral part of sustaining these important core values of the firm and helping to make us a stronger organization,” he said. “So it only makes sense that we allow lawyers engaging in these activities across the globe to be credited for some of their hours in this arena, recognizing their efforts and importance of this work.”

Congratulations to K&L Gates on its commitment to diversity, and for offering its attorneys a way to create a better workplace. What an admirable way to support diversity and inclusion efforts.

Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.