Raymond Williams of DLA Piper. Courtesy photo

Yes, Data and Metrics Can Improve Your Diversity & Inclusion Outcome

Often, in my role as national diversity and inclusion partner of DLA Piper, I was asked if DLA uses data and metrics to support our diversity and inclusion goals. The short answer is yes. We use data and metrics because we believe they are important to helping us retain talented lawyers and business professionals.

October 01, 2021 at 12:48 PM

6 minute read

Diversity

By Raymond Williams

Law firms are grappling with how to improve diversity numbers. While some have D&I plans, others do not. The American Lawyer's 2021 Diversity Scorecard, which records the average number of full-time minority attorneys at top law firms, reports only 18.5% of all attorneys are minorities, and only 10.9% of all partners are minorities. According to the ABA Lawyer Profile of the Legal Profession, women and minorities made only minimal gains in joining law firm ranks over the past decade. The percentage of women lawyers increased to 37% in 2021 from 33% in 2011. Black and Native American representation in the legal industry decreased slightly during the last 10 years, while Hispanic and Asian lawyers gained less than a percentage point each. Multiracial people made up 2% of all lawyers, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders comprised 0.3%.