The conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion (D&I) was amplified as a result of George Floyd’s death in May 2020. The call for social justice that followed his and numerous other unjust deaths of Black individuals around the country shook all aspects of society, including the way organizations look at hiring top talent. As search consultants, we have seen firsthand the significant and ongoing impact of this movement on our clients and the legal profession as a whole.

Prior to the social justice movement, for some of our clients, D&I was a critical topic of conversation as we began the recruitment process, but this emphasis was not as widespread as we would have hoped. We saw a lot of disparities depending on company size, whether the client was publicly traded or privately held, and where it was located geographically. In some instances, it was not a topic of conversation raised by our clients at all, and we found ourselves initiating the D&I discussion as it related to identifying new talent for an organization. In our experience, prior to the current focus on alleviating systemic racial and social inequities, D&I was generally a topic of importance, but it was not always a crucial element in our client’s decision-making process or our early discussions.