Law-Firm Clients Demand More Black Attorneys

Partner Duvol Thompson was interviewed for a Wall Street Journal article detailing efforts to diversify the legal profession and increase opportunities for Black lawyers. Corporate clients have been among those pushing for diversity, and some companies are asking law firms to explain how many diverse lawyers they employ and whether those lawyers are assigned meaningful work. If diversity benchmarks aren't met, firms may lose bonuses or not get hired. These efforts aim to increase both the number of Black lawyers in the profession as well as the number of Black partners at firms, figures that have remained relatively unchanged for decades.

1844, a group of Black male lawyers, recently issued a report highlighting members' experiences with systemic racism inside and outside the legal profession, including the lack of Black lawyers and opportunities for them. Mr. Thompson was instrumental in the creation of this report, and in this article, he shared his thoughts on why these numbers have remained unchanged.

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