“How to Even the Playing Field—Diversity, Inclusion and Retention in Law Firms”

Article by Jennifer Karpchuk and Alissa Gipson on “How to Even the Playing Field—Diversity, Inclusion and Retention in Law Firms”

In an article published on April 9, 2021 in The Legal Intelligencer, Shareholder Jennifer Karpchuk and Associate Alissa Gipson emphasize that diversity and inclusion promote the consideration of candidates based on their potential benefit to the firm, rather than the natural trend of choosing individuals most like those already working at the firm. Karpchuk and Gipson discuss current biases and issues with retention currently plaguing the legal profession.

“One nagging problem with increasing diversity and inclusion is individual biases—more notably implicit bias,” says Karpchuk and Gipson. “Implicit bias is a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, but it affects an individual’s judgments, decisions, and behaviors.”

Getting hired can be one struggle for diverse candidates, but wanting to stay with a particular firm—and the firm’s ability to retain diverse talent—is another. It is important for law firms to value diversity and recognize the associated challenges that may come along with it. In some cases, small changes can be made to assist in retaining diverse lawyers.

To learn more, subscribers may view the full article here.