A report by the New York City Bar documents a “slippage of hard-won diversity gains” at local law firms last year, coupled with only “lackluster” improvements over the long term.

The 2010 Diversity Benchmarking Study is the fifth since the city bar launched with what it recalled as “great enthusiasm” an effort to promote diversity. The study notes several positive developments, but characterizes as “disappointing” the overall results of its survey.