How Law Firms Are Doing with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: What Does the 2022 Data Show?

Leopard Solutions, a legal intelligence provider, has released its annual update discussing trends in law firm DE&I. Law firms have made strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion—but where do they stand in 2022, and where can they go from here? Leopard Solutions analyzed the hiring and retention data on new hires, lateral hires, and promotions to partner of attorneys who are diverse in 2022 compared to 2021, accounting for both ethnic and gender diversity. Although the data only accounts for the first half of 2022, it yielded notable insights that can inform on law firm practices and strategies.

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Leopard Solutions, a legal intelligence provider, has released its annual update discussing trends in law firm DE&I. Law firms have made strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion—but where do they stand in 2022, and where can they go from here?

Leopard Solutions analyzed the hiring and retention data on new hires, lateral hires, and promotions to partner of attorneys who are diverse in 2022 compared to 2021, accounting for both ethnic and gender diversity. Although the data only accounts for the first half of 2022, it yielded notable insights that can inform on law firm practices and strategies.

Key Findings of 2022 Data:

• 18% of all attorneys in AmLaw 200 Law firms are ethnically diverse, up a full percentage point from 17%, which is where it sat for the previous 3 years
• 23% of lateral hires into AmLaw 200 firms were ethnically diverse
• 63 law firms gained a small number of ethnically diverse attorneys (0-10 hires)
• 94 firms experienced small gains for gender diverse attorneys (0-10 hires); 54 firms experienced losses for gender diverse attorneys at their film
• Non-diverse men in the Top 200 left and returned to Top 200 firms at a lower rate than ethnically diverse attorneys, at just 29%

While the number of diverse lateral hires remained stagnant in 2019 and 2020, there has been a marked rise in 2022 with 23% of laterals being ethnically diverse. However, the gap between high diverse and low diverse laterals increased sharply in 2022. Worth noting, the size of the gap varied based on hiring level. For instance, hires at the associate level saw a more significant increase in ethnically diverse attorneys, while partner and counsel lateral hires saw only slight gains.

"Law firm clients are beginning to demand to see firm commitment to diversity before they work with them, so if firms ignore diversity as an important initiative, they're going to see it begin to impact their wallets," explained Laura Leopard, CEO of Leopard Solutions.

Regarding gender diversity, the legal industry saw an increase in number of women associates, but they lost ground at the partner level. Overall, the data shows that although firms have made progress in hiring more ethnically and gender diverse candidates in the first half of 2022, there is still much progress to be made.

About Leopard Solutions:

Leopard Solutions delivers the highest quality, most accurate and in-depth information on the legal market, leading law firms and attorneys with easily searchable products.  

From business development solutions to competitive intelligence to lateral recruitment to our curated and customizable market research reports, Leopard Solutions offers a wide range of data solutions for law firms and legal departments. Leopard's data and technology is continuously updated to ensure market relevance and competitive edge. 

Leopard Solutions is a proud WBE organization that has grown into one of the most recognized and trusted legal market data providers in the United States. Leopard Solutions' high level of quality and depth is unmatched in the industry. For more information, visit  our  website  and follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Phil Flora, Leopard Solutions, 212-430-8531, [email protected]

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SOURCE Leopard Solutions