National Jurist - January 2009 - (Page 18)

THEFIRMREPORT Law firm diversity slow to change The percentage of women and minority lawyers at law firms continues to increase, although the rate of change is very slow, Total Lawyers and minority women continue to be dramatically underrepresented at the partnerLawyers Firmwide Total # % Women % Minority Women # of offices ship level. 27.19 3.85 137 50 or fewer lawyers 4,203 10,049 27.88 4.49 159 51-100 lawyers Minority women make up less than 2 28,856 29.53 4.25 296 101-250 lawyers percent of partners in the nation’s major 27,288 32.06 5.26 348 251-500 lawyers law firms. At just 1.88 percent of partners, 17,681 34.15 6.69 195 501-700 lawyers this group is thus particularly underrepre50,046 35.45 8.21 437 701+ lawyers sented in the partnership ranks, even more so than minority men, who account for just Summer Associates 4.21 percent of partners. Lawyers Firmwide Total # % Women % Minority % Minority Women These are the most significant find39.43 18.29 8.94 50 or fewer lawyers 246 ings of the National Association for Legal 583 44.43 22.13 12.52 51-100 lawyers Placement’s recent analyses of the 20081,790 45.08 18.94 9.55 101-250 lawyers 2009 NALP Directory of Legal Employers, 2,141 45.21 23.31 12.28 251-500 lawyers the annual compendium of legal employer 1,522 46.58 25.62 15.05 501-700 lawyers 5,633 45.66 25.95 14.02 701+ lawyers data published by NALP. Source: The 2008-2009 NALP Directory of Legal Employers The representation of minority women partners is only slightly higher, 2.27 percent, at the largest firms of more than 700 lawyers. The newest analysis also reveals gender is significant, and presents unique Association, since the late 1980s, the perthat representation of minority women hurdles for minority women in the indus- centage of minority law school graduates among partners varies considerably by try,” said James Leipold, executive director has more than doubled, from 10 to 23 pergeographic location, with firms in Miami of NALP. cent. During the same period, the presence reporting the highest level of representa”These findings mirror the findings of of women among law school graduates has tion, at 5.98 percent. This contrasts sharply other similar studies, including the report grown from 40 percent to nearly half. with more than 15 cities where minority by the ABA Commission on Women in Summer associate classes best reflect law women make up fewer than 1 percent of the Profession, Visible Invisibility: Women of school enrollment, with women comprispartners. Color in Law Firms, that documents some ing 45.42 percent of summer associates, During the 16 years that NALP has of the reasons that this is so.” minorities 24.04 percent and minority been compiling this information, law firms The most recent findings from the women 12.99 percent of summer associhave made steady, albeit slow progress in NALP Directory of Legal Employers also ates in 2008. Despite a slight decrease from increasing the presence of women and reveal that, nationally, women and minori- 24.19 percent in 2007 to 24.04 percent in minorities among 2008, minority representation in summer their lawyers and “It is clear that the overlap of race and programs slightly exceeded their representasummer associates. tion among law students for the fourth year gender is significant, and presents unique In 2008, minorities in a row. hurdles for minority women in the industry.” accounted for 6.09 “It is clear that recruiting efforts, particpercent of partners — James Leipold, executive director of NALP ularly at the largest law firms, are very sucin the nation’s major cessful in recruiting women and minorities firms. And women into law firm summer programs,” Leipold accounted for 18.74 percent of the partners ties continue to be much better represented said. “But what these numbers confirm is in these firms. In 2007, the figures were in associate and summer associate ranks what many other studies have shown, and 5.40 percent and 18.34 percent, respec- than in the partnership ranks. Women that is that women and minorities leave tively. account for 45.34 percent of associates, their law firm jobs at a higher rate than The total change since 1993, the first minorities for 19.11 percent of associates their male and non-minority colleagues.” year for which NALP has comparable and minority women for 10.74 percent The challenge, Leipold added, is to aggregate information, has been only mar- of associates. Each group lags in their rep- make meaningful changes to efforts to ginal. At that time minorities accounted resentation by 3 to 5 percentage points successfully retain and promote women for 2.55 percent of partners and women compared to the population of recent law and minority lawyers in order to increase accounted for 12.27 percent of partners. school graduates. their presence in the leadership ranks of the “It is clear that the overlap of race and According to the American Bar nation’s leading law firms. Women and minorities at law firms 18 THE NATIONAL JURIST January 2009

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National Jurist - January 2009 Contents Hot Button: Affirmative Action Entertainment: A Road Trip Through Law School News: American Justice, Kaplan Survey, Part-time Ranking The Firm Report: Diversity Law School Online No label No label Fordham Student Honored for Public Interest Work Former Law Student's Life Lives on After Her Death Most Influential People in Legal Education Most Innovative Law Schools Your Guide to Studying Abroad Career Hotline Texas Tech Law Grads Explore Dispute Resolution Evaluating First-Year Exams Disturbing the Peace

National Jurist - January 2009

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