The work of diversity and inclusion is experiencing a renaissance. Some view this rebirth to be driven out of immense frustration with limited progress as well as our current state of societal divides. Others with a more positive outlook view this work as an opportunity to impact the future of the legal profession as well as society. There are a host of viewpoints and strategies but perhaps one primary question rises to the top: Will current and future efforts be transformative and innovative or incremental and reactive?

Demanding much more than just periodic reporting, client engagement in D&I has become more common. It’s important to know whether Big Law is well positioned to not only be responsive but also strategic and intentional—outside of client demands as well. In 2019, DLA Piper responded to more than 100 client and/or external stakeholder inquiries through RFPs, surveys and scorecards. Fairly new in my role at the firm, as I’ve acclimated to managing this, it has caused for more reflections on metrics, strategy and culture.