As lawyers, our personalities and predispositions tend to make it difficult for us to alter the status quo. We are inclined to be risk-averse and don’t like rocking the boat. This may be appropriate when it comes to advising our clients — but not when hiring and promoting lawyers within our own organizations.
After almost a decade of growth, the percentage of minority lawyers at large law firms actually dropped last year. And this is down from an already low number. According to the American Bar Association, 10 percent of all law firm lawyers are minorities. The numbers are a bit better in-house. The Minority Corporate Counsel Association reports that minorities make up approximately 12.5 percent of law department attorneys.
