Appeal for diversity (US legal profession)

Citation

(2009), "Appeal for diversity (US legal profession)", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 17 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2009.04417aad.006

Appeal for diversity (US legal profession)

Article Type: Abstracts From: Human Resource Management International Digest, Volume 17, Issue 1

Schoeff M. Workforce Management (USA), 14 July 2008, Vol. 87 No. 12, Start page: 31, No. of pages: 4

Purpose – Highlights Du Pont’s decision (major US chemical firm) to only work with law firms that have demonstrated their commitment to increasing the number of women and people from minority groups that they employ. Discusses the pressure that is being put on US legal firms to increase the diversity among their employees. Design/methodology/approach – Cites a number of firms, including Coca-Cola and General Motors, that are using diversity as a major criteria before hiring a legal firm. Looks at the reasons why diversity within law firms is low and identifies a number of strategies that are being used to tackle this issue. Findings – Underlines that US law firms have a long way to go before they can claim to have successfully achieved equal opportunities for women and people from minority groups. Argues that many firms are now taking the matter seriously and points out that this can only be helped by pressure from important clients to make sure that the commitment is real. Originality/value – Discusses progress on diversity among US law firms. ISSN: 1092-8332 Reference: 37AR537

Keywords: Diversity management, Lawyers, Equal opportunities, USA