The Pipeline Diversity Directory will profile efforts of those committed to greater diversity in the law field.
 |
To achieve diversity in law — as in many other professions, areas of study and segments of our society — we have to work harder just to remain even. The goal of diversity is a moving target as reflected by population growth and demographic shifts in the citizenry over the past half century. Efforts by the profession to educate prospective lawyers and guide them along the path to legal careers come at a time when other professions are engaged in similar recruitment initiatives. Law — like medicine, engineering, business, education and so on — wants its share of “the best and the brightest.”
Currently, the legal profession is among the least diverse, and the presence of racial and ethnic minorities — when achieved — has not been universal throughout the settings where law is practiced. Large and medium-sized law firms, for example, remain behind small firms in attracting lawyers of color. There have been, however, diligent efforts by large and medium-sized firms to increase the diversity of their partners and associates.
