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Working at a Biglaw office with little diversity...

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:24 am
by AnonUser777
I start work at a Vault 100 firm for the second half of my 1L summer in a few weeks (currently at the District Court) and of the forty-three lawyers in the office, only four are minorities. Of those four only one is at the associate level. Also, of those four, not a single one is the same URM as me (AA Male.) How have other people dealt with working at a firm with minimal diversity? Was it ever brought up, does it give you a better chance of getting an offer to return, etc...?

Re: Working at a Biglaw office with little diversity...

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:30 am
by runinthefront
All of them have minimal diversity. You deal with it. Even if you don't have anyone at the firm who you can vent to when an old partner says something non-PC, you could always reach out to your close friend/mentors who have worked at other firms. Or your friends from blsa

Re: Working at a Biglaw office with little diversity...

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:34 am
by silenttimer
As a senior associate on the Diversity Committee at a V50 firm, I recommend that you focus on doing good work as a summer and things likely will work out for you. You really cannot control how diverse your office is, so focusing on it is not constructive. If, however, you face some unique diversity issue to your situation, then come back to this thread.

Re: Working at a Biglaw office with little diversity...

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:30 pm
by TripleM
AnonUser777 wrote:I start work at a Vault 100 firm for the second half of my 1L summer in a few weeks (currently at the District Court) and of the forty-three lawyers in the office, only four are minorities. Of those four only one is at the associate level. Also, of those four, not a single one is the same URM as me (AA Male.) How have other people dealt with working at a firm with minimal diversity? Was it ever brought up, does it give you a better chance of getting an offer to return, etc...?
That's nearly 10% URM, which I'd wager is better than average. I'd focus on kicking butt, getting a job there and then spend a career mentoring aspiring URMs.
On a more practical note, see if there is a regional/city AA bar association of some kind. If so, reach out to their leadership and ask if you can get together with them.

Re: Working at a Biglaw office with little diversity...

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:37 pm
by SmokeytheBear
TripleM wrote:
AnonUser777 wrote:I start work at a Vault 100 firm for the second half of my 1L summer in a few weeks (currently at the District Court) and of the forty-three lawyers in the office, only four are minorities. Of those four only one is at the associate level. Also, of those four, not a single one is the same URM as me (AA Male.) How have other people dealt with working at a firm with minimal diversity? Was it ever brought up, does it give you a better chance of getting an offer to return, etc...?
That's nearly 10% URM, which I'd wager is better than average. I'd focus on kicking butt, getting a job there and then spend a career mentoring aspiring URMs.
On a more practical note, see if there is a regional/city AA bar association of some kind. If so, reach out to their leadership and ask if you can get together with them.
AA male in big law in LA. Diversity (especially as an AA male) is hard to find. Most firms have groups that bind us together. But many firms are doing all that they can to hire more diverse associates due to pressures from clients to hit certain diversity metrics.

Re: Working at a Biglaw office with little diversity...

Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 9:19 am
by AnonUser777
TripleM wrote:
AnonUser777 wrote:I start work at a Vault 100 firm for the second half of my 1L summer in a few weeks (currently at the District Court) and of the forty-three lawyers in the office, only four are minorities. Of those four only one is at the associate level. Also, of those four, not a single one is the same URM as me (AA Male.) How have other people dealt with working at a firm with minimal diversity? Was it ever brought up, does it give you a better chance of getting an offer to return, etc...?
That's nearly 10% URM, which I'd wager is better than average. I'd focus on kicking butt, getting a job there and then spend a career mentoring aspiring URMs.
On a more practical note, see if there is a regional/city AA bar association of some kind. If so, reach out to their leadership and ask if you can get together with them.
There definitely is a BLA in my city that I attend events with and receive great mentoring from regularly. I'm really committed to passing these opportunities along to other minorities coming into the market.

Thank you!