Women of Color Are Entering–and Leaving–Law Firms in Record Numbers

In Ms. J.D., Brande Stellings and Jennifer Kohler ponder a troubling pattern: although women of color are entering and graduating from law schools in increasing numbers, more than 75% of women of color associates leave their firms by their fifth year.

They cite a comprehensive study of over 1200 attorneys at the top 25 law firms in the U.S., which found that women of color often experience the workplace as exclusionary and feel like outsiders in their own firms. They receive little candid and constructive feedback and a lack of development opportunities. And while over 97% of law firms have a women’s initiative, it appears that law firms routinely ignore the impact of intersectionality – the intersections of gender, race, and ethnicity that create unique experiences for individuals – which results in imperfect execution of initiatives.

When it comes to retaining women of color in their firms, men seem oblivious to what’s at stake. Previous Catalyst research has demonstrated that when a lawyer leaves a firm, the cost to the employer is equal to, or even greater than, their total annual salary and benefits. We also know that clients are diverse and are pressing law firms to provide teams which better reflect this diversity. Most compelling of all the reasons men should be concerned about the attrition of women of color is this: on average, companies with higher percentages of women in leadership positions financially outperform those with fewer women in leadership roles.

Catalyst’s recent research on engaging men as diversity champions asserts that a highly effective antidote to apathy is combating a zero sum mindset. This can be accomplished by helping male attorneys grasp the impact of women of color associates on their bottom line and the future sustainability of their firms. Ultimately, it all goes back to the inclusion paradox: in order to profit from our differences, we need to creatively nurture and call them out. It’s good for business, and it’s the right thing to do.

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