I'm a black junior attorney considering her first lateral move. Experienced laterals, how do you get a read on inclusion? Before accepting an offer, is it wise to meet with all of the black attorneys?

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Do you know anyone who works at the firm? I find strangers (even fellow black attorneys) sometimes downplay racial issues at their places of employment.

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I do not, unfortunately.

First, numbers don’t lie! Look closely at the Diversity Scorecard. Second, let your legal recruiter do the heavy lifting with regards to your line-ups and who should be included in those line-ups. Lastly, ask the critical questions with regards to how assignments are made for associates. That is the key to working with the top partners and clients.

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Those surveys do not tell the whole story. The free market system does not work for in Law Firms, especially for people of color. However, leaders are scared to change the system to determine if there is one that is more profitable and beneficial to the Firm. You can check to see if any attorneys at the new Firm are members of local minority bars or used to work there. We do not mind sharing information and it is a way to build your network.

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Count the numbers and look at their pages to see their experiences, tenure, leadership, etc. Check who leads the D&I committee/department.

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No need to meet with everyone but do meet with people at varying levels of seniority as inclusion means different things at different levels. Some firms are great for black juniors and then struggle when it comes to advancement, promotion and retention so a black junior may be having a good professional experience while a black senior associate is dying. One question that’s revealing and useful: how many attorneys of colour/black attorneys have left in the last year, and why did they leave? Many firms now have d&i groups and dedicated personnel (avoid any that do not). I would try to speak to those people too (including any associates who are on d&i committees). In my experience, black lawyers are very honest and pragmatic about this issue so the best path is to ask blunt and open questions - you’ll get honest answers and can then make an informed decision.

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Your recruiter can give you all of the lateral moves information.

As stated above, be sure to ask about how assignments are distributed to associates, the review process and mentoring and sponsorship. Ask these questions of everyone. Ask senior and partner attorneys of color, in particular, who/what contributed to their success at the firm and what has been the biggest impediment. If there are a relatively low number of senior level attorneys of color, particularly black, which is likely the case in most instances, ask why that is the case. I have found that attorneys of color will give honest answers that reflect the racial climate IF you ask the right questions. Note that the right question is not always just about race, but processes that may be affected by racism and/or implicit biases. Many black attorneys don’t want to go on record stating racism or discrimination is an issue at their current place of employment. However, their experiences and the experiences of others are what they are and the firm’s processes are what they are. If there are no other plausible explanations....
Good luck!

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