With the summer associate recruiting season winding down and a new year beginning, now would be an ideal time to supplement the hard work that (hopefully) produced improved diversity recruiting results, by focusing on the professional development of the diverse and women attorneys who are already practicing law at your firm.
Among the number of factors affecting the success and professional development of diverse and women attorneys at law firms, none are more impactful than unconscious bias, micro-inequities and social isolation. While these issues are related, they are also very separate and distinct. As noted below, unconscious bias can lead to micro-inequities, which can lead to social isolation. If ignored and not adequately addressed, these issues will most certainly stunt the professional development of, and lead to a decreased retention rate among, a firm’s diverse and women attorneys.
