City
Bar Study Shows That Time Alone Will Not Bring
Greater Diversity to Partnership Ranks of NYC
Firms
NEW YORK — A new study by the Association
of the Bar of the City of New York suggests that,
despite increasing diversity in the legal profession,
this diversity is not adequately reflected in
the leadership of New York City law firms.
The Association surveyed 82 major New York City
law offices that are signatories to the City
Bar’s “Statement of Diversity Principles.” The
information the firms submitted represents a
snapshot of their status for the January – March
2004 period, and will serve as a baseline against
which future progress can be measured. The study
assists firms in identifying where they are doing
well compared with their peer firms, and where
they are lagging behind. Ultimately the study
provides firms with the information needed to
make diversity and inclusion a reality.
The study will be released on June 6th, when
the City Bar Association hosts its second annual
diversity conference: “Making Heads Count;
Accountability for Legal Employers.” This
year’s symposium will focus on leadership
and accountability from both the individual and
the organizational perspectives. The symposium
will feature a dynamic and interactive session,
led by Steve Young of Insight Education, on addressing
the subtle underlying behaviors that stand in
the way of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
In addition, a panel featuring Deborah Holmes
of Ernst & Young will discuss the successful
model of the accounting firms in cultivating
diversity champions and instituting accountability
mechanisms.
THE STUDY’S KEY FINDINGS:
1. New York
City offices of signatory firms are more diverse
than the legal profession as a whole. Overall, 15.2% of the nearly 17,000
attorneys in signatory firms are racial/ethnic
minorities compared with 10.8% in the profession
as a whole. Similarly, the percentage of women
in signatory firms, 35%, is somewhat higher than
in the profession as a whole, 29%. (The data
that signatory firms provided on openly gay attorneys
and attorneys with disabilities is inadequate
for national comparisons.)
2. There is
considerable diversity across race and gender
in associate ranks, while the face of the partnership
at signatory law firms remains predominantly
white and male. More than one in
five associates are racial-ethnic minorities
and two in five are women. In contrast, the vast
majority of special counsels and partners are
both white and male. Only 4.7% of New York area
law partners are considered racial/ethnic minorities.
Women comprise 15.6% of the partnership at signatory
firms.
3. Time alone
will not bring greater diversity to the partner
ranks in New York City. Often
there is the perception that it is only a matter
of time before a particular demographic group
reaches critical mass in the partnership. However,
the percentage of new promotions to partner is
quite similar to that of the overall partner
pool. Only a slightly higher percentage of women
and minorities were newly promoted to partner
compared to their representation in the overall
partnership (7% minority, 20% women). This data
suggests that time alone is not sufficient and
that intervention is needed to truly diversify
the partnership profile in area firms.
4. New partner
promotions do not fully capitalize on the diversity
of the pre-partnership pool.
With an average eight-year partnership track,
the remaining associates from the Class of 1996
can be considered the pre-partner pool for 2004
partnership decisions. Women comprise one-third
of the Class of 1996 associates, in contrast
to one-fifth of new partner promotions in 2004.
Likewise, 19% of the remaining class of 1996
is racial/ethnic minorities compared with 7%
of new partners; this discrepancy is particularly
acute for Asian-Americans in the pre-partner
pool.
This report is one aspect of the Association’s
overarching effort to foster more diverse, inclusive,
and flexible work environments among New York
legal employers. To date, 106 law firms and corporate
law departments have signed onto the Association’s
Statement of Diversity Principles. Signatories
have committed to tracking progress, instituting
diversity committees, and implementing various
diversity initiatives, including mentoring and
networking programs.
To assist firms in this effort, the New York
City Bar founded the only Office for Diversity
in the nation. The office organizes monthly working
sessions to provide the concrete tools to build
an effective diversity effort from the ground
up and foster a community among those engaged
in diversity work in New York-area law offices.
In addition, the office provides over-the-shoulder
guidance to legal employers across sectors.
About the Association
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York (www.nycbar.org) was founded
in 1870, and since then has been dedicated to maintaining the high ethical
standards of the profession, promoting reform of the law, and providing service
to the profession and the public.
