Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when interviewees ask about diversity at your firm/office? I grew up in a very white area, and I don’t really notice/get bothered by lack of diversity. This recruitment cycle, a lot of non-white students asked if the lack of diversity at my office bothers me and asked why I think it’s so white. I feel like they expect me to have a very academic/astute response, but I just shrug and say I don’t notice it.

You may not notice it or feel bothered by it, but a lot of POCs do so interviewees are trying to feel out what being a diverse atty at that all white firm will feel like. Will they deal w micro aggressions all day? Not feel comfortable wearing natural hair to the office? So i strongly encourage you to take a look around and see if you notice those things happening, you’ve just never noticed. Listen to how your colleagues phrase things or speak abt other races whether it’s celebrities, news stories, etc. Then you can honestly tell the interviewees of your all white firm is accepting of diversity, or if they do the “we don’t see color” thing but then tout you as a token to defend against racism which is a huge red flag

Yeah, those diverse candidates aren’t going to choose your firm. I know I wouldn’t as a law student if the answer was “I don’t notice” to this question.

Ummmm I most certainly encourage asking questions like this, especially as a black woman b/c law firms like to play a game of diversity being the advancement of white women or white male lgbtq.

But I pose it more as “What is the firm doing to retain black attorneys or attorneys of color?”

I think this question helps get a baseline of comfort in talking about race. If I can’t feel comfortable around you when something happens to my people and that’s the majority of the populous in the office, why would I want to work there

Typically when I’m being interviewed, because I fit the box for “diverse candidate”, the interviewer will likely put the head of the diversity chair in the interview which is typically either a white female or a white gay male. If that’s the case, I ask them how they were selected for that position. I always review the firm website for how many black attorneys they have and if they have very few or, typically, none, I point blank ask what they are doing to recruit and retain more attorneys of color. I ask how are the giving back to black communities in the area. They get flustered and red every time but honestly that’s not my problem. I want to know up front am I going to be dealing with micro aggressions and be uncomfortable coming into an all white office. There’s honestly no excuse for you have 0 black attorneys when your firm has 50+ attorneys and partners.

If I was in an interview and a poc said they weren't bothered by the lack of diversity, I would not work there. That signals to me that person isn't likely to understand any racism/microaggressions I experience, I wouldn't have an ally, and that individual aligns more with non-poc. It's hard enough being a minority in a non-diverse space, I'm definitely going somewhere that the other minorities contribute to that.

You can answer what’s true for you but I understand them asking, it may well make them uncomfortable and you’re the only one they can ask it sounds like. I also was used to being in a very white area so didn’t notice it initially but after moving to a more diverse area and gaining more life experience I realize I was dealing with a lot of micro aggressions all the time - e.g., being mistaken for the only other person of my race, everyone mispronouncing my name and not even trying to correct themselves etc.

Years ago I asked a black associate in an interview and he had a very honest answer that the firm wasn’t doing great on D&I but was making an effort (and detailed some of the efforts they were making) and said he didn’t think his firm was behind other biglaw firms in that regard. I found that honest and helpful, maybe prep an answer like that.

I don't. I am a black woman grew up in an extremely white Christian conservative area and I have a white husband. I don't need to code switch to interact with my white peers and I don't experience discomfort being the only POC in the room. However, I understand that not every POC has my experience and that lack of diversity in the legal field makes lots of POC feel isolated and leads to attrition. I also value having coworkers that look like me.

If you want to support increasing diversity among your firm's ranks, I encourage you to reach out to your diversity and inclusion specialist to come up with a better response.

I just want to say I'm not saying attorneys shouldn't ask. And I agree with the lady above me that law firms basically let diversity mean everything except black. However, I'd just never expect to be an authentic answer from someone whose not black and not an initial interview

I asked this question myself and the answer was very important to me after dealing with a very toxic, very racist, group and being the only senior black attorney fighting for every inch and watching black people get pushed out the moment they’re no longer junior enough to be inconsequential. I had PTSD from how I was treated at that place and was determined not to go through that again. If you don’t notice it, ask yourself why. Is it because it’s a truly good place to work? If so, say so and why. If there’s another reason why you don’t notice, then you’ll also be able to articulate that. “I don’t notice” is a terrible answer.

People ask because they know that the lack of diversity means that they might be misunderstood or mistreated. So, even when I don't completely relate to others' experiences or why they ask what they do, I still try to empathize. Maybe that would be a moment to ask questions about what makes them feel supported when there is a lack of diversity? Or, what does diversity look and feel like to them? (Even if they don't end up working with you, you might be able to better understand where they're coming from by asking thoughtful questions.)

As a black attorney. I got to say, that's awkward. I would never ask a white or really anyone in an interview "so, what do you think about diversity or especially your firm's failure to prioritize it."

Most of us minorities are smart enough to realize a diverse workforce isn’t anymore a priority of law firms any more than oil companies pledging to be carbon neutral. This question is more about sussing out red flags and less so about actually giving a good answer.

If I ask this question, it’s not because I actually care about how you’ve managed to congratulate yourself for being slightly less homogenous than other law firms lagging behind virtually every other non-diverse industry in USA — it’s to see whether the implication that the workplace should be diverse makes you uncomfortable. Some of the prior responses already failed the vibe test.

I asked it and I’m always willing to answer it. Law is a second career for me. While I’m my first career/school situation I was still often the only black person in the room (science) my race and the work were not related. But law school traumatized me. I had to deal with white people being racist out loud for three whole years. I was trying to go to a workplace where fewer of that type or more of me seemed to be and thrive.

@attorney associate 1, oh dear. It matters the same reason why if you go into a hospital and no poc exist. It's not by accident

This post is troubling in so many different ways. How can you say "you don't notice it" if clearly you are noticing it...?

It could be that they read somewhere, or people told them to ask this question. With our generation, we know exactly why there is a lack of diversity——

Maybe they are asking you to signal whether or not the firm is a toxic place to work. That could be the real question.

Why does color even matter? why does lack of diversity is an issue? I really don't get it.

I normally ask the following questions: “How do you promote DEI when making hiring decisions?” -to the hiring partner. I then specifically tailor the question to AA women. Then I also ask what would you like
to see (firm) do in the future to further DEI efforts. If the answer is not good, it raises a red flag for me.

They may have a similar life experience/white-adjacent background as you. Don’t assume they’re expecting anything. Just Be honest