Most Lawyers Believe A Diverse And Inclusive Workforce Should Be A Priority
But how well do they think their law firms are doing?
Last month, we released the results of the 2023 Millennial Survey, the latest in the series of biannual surveys we conduct together with Major, Lindsey & Africa.
A majority of the attorneys surveyed agree that a diverse and inclusive workforce should be a priority for law firms. However, they don’t necessarily agree on how far the industry has advanced in this regard, with some of the results exposing fault lines of gender and race/ethnicity.
For instance, 71% of respondents of color believe that law firm culture is inherently biased against diverse attorneys, compared to 55% of white attorneys. Almost 35% of attorneys of color do not believe their firm is dedicated to the training and development of minority attorneys, and less than half say their firm treats people of color and non-minority attorneys equally when it comes to staffing.
Similarly, nearly 84% of female respondents—but just 46% of men—believe that law firm culture is biased against women. In addition, 68% of women believe there is a persistent pay gap at law firms, compared to 29% of men. Men were more likely than women to report having strong access to meaningful work, while women were twice as likely as men to say their access to such work is either weak or nonexistent. In light of such feedback, it may not be surprising that fewer women than men envision themselves becoming partners at their firms.
For more insights on millennial attorneys’ experiences and perspectives on law firm life, download a free copy of the report.
