The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
Many organizations are creating and revitalizing their affinity groups, also known as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), to foster connections, build community, and provide career development opportunities. Further, affinity group and ERG leaders can serve as advocates as they gain insights from their members about what’s working and what needs to be fixed. To be successful, affinity groups/ERGs need engaged leaders. Organizations can provide affinity group/ERG leaders with the right support and resources to foster engagement in the following ways:
Clarify Purpose & Broader Goals: To truly engage affinity group leaders, organizations should begin by sharing their broad business objectives and DE&I goals. Affinity group leaders need to understand what the organization is trying to achieve in the short- and long-term. Next, affinity groups need to come up with their strategic vision that amplifies the core mission of the affinity group. Through this collaborative and strategic approach, organizations can cultivate an environment that supports the growth and success of its affinity groups…
The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
Our 2023 New Partner Report and 2024 New Partner Summit highlighted positive data and trends in the advancement of women in law firms last year. Significant metrics were robust; notably, the share of women among U.S.-based new partners increased substantially by 3.5%, and the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50, AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 firms demonstrated similar increases in the shares of women new partners. We should celebrate these bright spots and wins. However, we should also proceed with caution, as the results of our 2022 report were quite concerning; specifically, there was a decrease in the share of women new partners from the 2021 figure, and a significant year-over-year dip in the share of women new partners at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms.1 We must ponder whether this year’s strong data demonstrates true upward momentum in gender parity, or whether it is simply adjusting for last year’s troubling results. Further, we are concerned with current market responses, including layoffs, deferral of incoming attorneys, and tightening of hybrid work environments, and how these responses will impact women in leadership in future years.
1 The share of women among new partners was 40.2%, demonstrating a 0.7% decrease from the previous year’s figure. There was a significant year-over-year dip of 4.2% at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms. The average new partner class increased substantially – 14.1 attorneys in 2022 vs. 11.7 attorneys in 2021.
The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
More organizations have implemented policies and procedures to support caregivers before, during, and soon after leave. According to our 2022 Benchmarking Study, nearly all law firm participants have gender-neutral leave policies, off- and onramping policies (transition to and from leave) are common, a number of resources are offered to parents (i.e. shipment of breastmilk; coaching; childcare; adoption/fertility resources), and strides have been made in a number of aspects of these policies and offerings. Further, more organizations have expanded “caregivers” to include caregiving of children, elderly relatives, and those with medical needs. However, the 2023 American Bar Association Study shows that biases and inequities for caregivers, especially mothers, extend far past returning from leave1. To truly support caregivers, organizations must make sure that all their key processes contain intentional structures to ensure that caregivers are fairly treated.
Hiring. First, organizations must track their hiring process to see if any inequities exist for caregivers, broken down by gender and seniority. Compared to other candidates, see if there are any differences when looking at caregiver candidates at each stage of recruiting (i.e. interview selection; offers extended; and offers accepted). Next, organizations need to put structures in place to ensure equity. Make sure caregivers are consistently represented in your interview panels and hiring committees. Also, train your interviewers and provide guidelines on what to ask and what not to ask during interviews….
Action Step – Engaging Affinity Group Leaders
The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
Many organizations are creating and revitalizing their affinity groups, also known as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), to foster connections, build community, and provide career development opportunities. Further, affinity group and ERG leaders can serve as advocates as they gain insights from their members about what’s working and what needs to be fixed. To be successful, affinity groups/ERGs need engaged leaders. Organizations can provide affinity group/ERG leaders with the right support and resources to foster engagement in the following ways:
Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center
To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.
Action Step – Maintaining & Fostering Gender Diversity Through Difficult Times
The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
Our 2023 New Partner Report and 2024 New Partner Summit highlighted positive data and trends in the advancement of women in law firms last year. Significant metrics were robust; notably, the share of women among U.S.-based new partners increased substantially by 3.5%, and the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50, AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 firms demonstrated similar increases in the shares of women new partners. We should celebrate these bright spots and wins. However, we should also proceed with caution, as the results of our 2022 report were quite concerning; specifically, there was a decrease in the share of women new partners from the 2021 figure, and a significant year-over-year dip in the share of women new partners at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms.1 We must ponder whether this year’s strong data demonstrates true upward momentum in gender parity, or whether it is simply adjusting for last year’s troubling results. Further, we are concerned with current market responses, including layoffs, deferral of incoming attorneys, and tightening of hybrid work environments, and how these responses will impact women in leadership in future years.
1 The share of women among new partners was 40.2%, demonstrating a 0.7% decrease from the previous year’s figure. There was a significant year-over-year dip of 4.2% at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms. The average new partner class increased substantially – 14.1 attorneys in 2022 vs. 11.7 attorneys in 2021.
Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center
To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity &
Action Step – All Key Processes Must Consider Caregivers
The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.
More organizations have implemented policies and procedures to support caregivers before, during, and soon after leave. According to our 2022 Benchmarking Study, nearly all law firm participants have gender-neutral leave policies, off- and onramping policies (transition to and from leave) are common, a number of resources are offered to parents (i.e. shipment of breastmilk; coaching; childcare; adoption/fertility resources), and strides have been made in a number of aspects of these policies and offerings. Further, more organizations have expanded “caregivers” to include caregiving of children, elderly relatives, and those with medical needs. However, the 2023 American Bar Association Study shows that biases and inequities for caregivers, especially mothers, extend far past returning from leave1. To truly support caregivers, organizations must make sure that all their key processes contain intentional structures to ensure that caregivers are fairly treated.
1“Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers,” American Bar Association (2023).
Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center
To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity &