Despite law firms’ efforts to promote diversity, results of a new survey of women and minorities at New York firms “paint a picture of stagnation,” according to the New York City Bar’s sixth Diversity Benchmarking Report. The study, which reported data for 2011, is based on the responses of 74 law firms that were signatories to a city bar statement of diversity principles.
“While new hires across levels are more diverse than attorneys at signatory firms, elevated turnover for women and minorities continues to erode the gains,” the report said, noting there are higher turnover rates at every level for women lawyers compared to men and higher turnover for minority attorneys compared with whites. “Elevated turnover rates contribute to the creation of a ‘leaky faucet’ of talent for diverse attorneys.”
