K&L Gates is the latest Am Law 200 firm to announce it will compensate lawyers for diversity and inclusion work by allowing that work to count toward their billable hour targets.

The policy, effective last month, allows lawyers to dedicate up to 50 hours of billable hour credit to activities related to improving racial diversity and gender parity in the legal profession. That includes presenting at internal diversity professional development activities; participating on firm diversity or Women In The 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, among others.