By definition, diversity means different. In law firms, depending on whom you ask, the term “diversity” may evoke contrary meanings. For some it means having good diversity statistics for marketing purposes, and for others it may mean attention to race relations and equality. The more important question, however, is what should diversity really mean for partners and associates in law firm culture? Diversity should stand for a firmwide principle of inclusion in which no lawyer feels excluded.

The unique challenges faced by racial and ethnic minority attorneys in law firms often go overlooked. Consistently recent surveys have revealed implicit factors and hidden barriers hindering the success of racial and ethnic minority attorneys and thwarting law firm efforts to maintain and retain diverse talent. According to Legal affiliate The American Lawyer’s 2013 Diversity Scorecard, racially diverse lawyers account for only 12 percent of attorneys at the country’s largest law firms. Since 2006, multiple national studies conducted by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession, among others, have shown that diverse attorneys in law firms contend with hidden barriers that they must overcome to succeed. These barriers include lack of inclusion in firm activities, mentoring and marketing opportunities.

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