New York — A recent survey exposes a troubling trend among America’s largest law firms, revealing that minority attorneys are often showcased in initial client meetings as a diversity display but are subsequently left out of the real casework. The findings suggest a superficial commitment to diversity that fails to extend beyond client pitching sessions.
According to the data gathered by Leopard Solutions, about one-third of surveyed lawyers, primarily from minority ethnic backgrounds, reported their inclusion in initial pitches without subsequent involvement in actual legal work. Strikingly, 85% of these instances fell within the attorney’s area of expertise, questioning the integrity of law firms’ commitment to inclusivity. Black attorneys reported the highest rates of exclusion, with nearly 40% stating they were sidelined post-pitch.
The misuse of minority attorneys’ profiles extends to marketing materials, as some respondents disclosed their images were used in pitch decks without their consent or knowledge. One alarming response encapsulated the issue: “Happens all the time. The client has diversity requirements… they want a Black person in the meeting to secure the work. The work comes in, I don’t know about it, and it goes elsewhere, usually to a non-diverse person.”
Laura Leopard, the founder of Leopard Solutions, criticized the passive response from corporate clients when presented with a team different from the one promised. She suggested that clients should be more assertive in demanding the teams they were initially shown, challenging the prevalent practice of diversity as mere window dressing.
This alarming survey coincides with several major law firms adjusting their diversity recruitment approaches following a Supreme Court decision that prohibited affirmative action. Firms like Perkins Coie, Morrison Foerster, and Winston & Strawn have had to revise or clarify their programs to eliminate racial considerations in hiring, responding to pressures from activists like Edward Blum. Some initiatives, such as the “minority fellowship” at Adams and Reese, have been shut down entirely.
Statistics from Leopard Solutions underscore a growing disparity in hiring trends at top US law firms. While the hiring gap between diverse and non-divividual hires remained relatively stable from 2019 to 2021, it began to widen again in 2023. Additionally, a January report from the National Association for Law Placement highlighted a decrease in the representation of people of color among summer associates, marking the first reduction since 2017.
Laura Leopard asserts that the challenge extends beyond hiring to the retention of attorneys from under-represented groups. “It’s going to be harder to hire attorneys from under-represented groups because their numbers are going to be smaller,” she explained. Retention efforts need to focus on fair treatment and allocation of work, setting a standard that genuinely values diversity beyond mere optics.
Leopard’s closing question echoes a critical concern: “If you feel that you were there just for face value, just for window dressing, are you going to stay at that firm?” This stark inquiry highlights the importance of sincere and actionable commitments to diversity within the legal sector, which must prioritize real inclusion over superficial appearances.