Law Schools

The Black Student’s Guide To Law Schools & Firms Is Up To Date And Right On Time!

I'm not telling you to cold email literally any person working at a firm you're interested in working at based on the data provided, but ya could.

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‘It’s like a hornbook for success’ – Her, probably

There are more reasons than Breyer’s recent career change to pay attention to law schools. Who is teaching you? Which schools does your firm feed? Did Amy Wax get fired yet? While that one is in the works, this guide is here to help future lawyers of color answer questions like:

  • Which Biglaw firm has the highest percentage of Black attorneys? (It’s Cravath.)
  • What is the HBCU Pre-Law Expo and why should I be interested? (Check page 10.)
  • What are the top 65 Law Schools for Black Students? ( Take note of where my legal alma mater is on the list.)

That said, it is not all roses. The data shows that:

  • More than half the law firms have less than 3% Black attorneys, and there are 50 law firms that have no Black attorneys. (See page 70.)

    • 13% of law firms are excelling with above 5% Black attorneys

    • 22% of law firms are above average with above 3.5% Black attorneys

    • 10% of low firms are average with around 3% Black attorneys

    • 19% of law firms are below average with less than 3% Black attorneys

    • 27% of law firm are failing with less than 2% Black attorneys

    • 9% of law firms aren’t trying with no Black attorneys

The choice of if you’d like to be a forerunner and break in to one of the firms that is ignoring diverse candidates or would rather spend time at a place where you’re more welcome is up to you, but I’d rather that your decision be an educated one. Ranging from personal experiences on what it was like to make it through a top-tier law school during the pandemic (see page 44) or hearing explanations on why firms fail to find Black talent from someone in the know (see page 67 for more details), the compilation is a godsend for folks who are first-generation lawyers, looking for grants (page 37), and firms that would like to get their feet wet on matters of equity and inclusion. You have to be somewhere in that list.

So get to reading! Let us know the parts that stick out the most to you.

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Black Student’s Guide To Law Schools & Firms [Lawyers Of Color.org]

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

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