BigLaw diversity hiring Forum

[Anonymous User]

Sorry to post anon but i'd rather not reveal myself to peers or potential employers


Question: being from miami, I identify as Cuban. Does Cuban American count as "diverse" and/or desirably diverse for bigfirms?

[2009 Prospective]

Based on nothing more than intuition, I would think the answer is far more likely to be "No" for Miami firms and "Probably / Maybe" outside of South Florida. Having nothing to base this off of, your best bet might be to just consult with CSO or maybe even a recruiter at the firms you're interested in.

[Oblomov]

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[Anonymous User]

Also how do minority candidates signal their status in cases like this? Cuban americans, like me, tend to blend in with other caucasians

[HITeacher2]

Join the Cuban American club at your school.

[Anonymous User]

Join the Cuban American club at your school.

None such

[Anonymous User]

I know an African-American woman at my lower T2 who has a paid 1L summer gig at a V50. I also know that she got a D on at least one of her major legal writing assignments and a C- in Torts. I'm top 15% (white male) and didn't even get an interview. I would say at least one firm is giving some big points for URMs.

[Anonymous User]

Join the Cuban American club at your school.

None such

Start one.

[Anonymous User]

I know an African-American woman at my lower T2 who has a paid 1L summer gig at a V50. I also know that she got a D on at least one of her major legal writing assignments and a C- in Torts. I'm top 15% (white male) and didn't even get an interview. I would say at least one firm is giving some big points for URMs.

not to be a jerk, but apples and oranges, no?

[Anonymous User]

Join the Cuban American club at your school.

None such

Start one.

There should be a LALSA at your school. If you don't know what that is and you're in law school, you lose your latino street cred.

[Anonymous User]

there is a LALSA. and I do know what it is. thanks for patronizing me.

[Anonymous User]

[erased]

[Anonymous User]

OP - my sense is that firms' definitions of diverse is much broader than the URM definition in law school. Several attorneys from several firms have told me that I would add to diversity as a female in IP big law. I found that surprising.

[hiromoto45]

OP - my sense is that firms' definitions of diverse is much broader than the URM definition in law school. Several attorneys from several firms have told me that I would add to diversity as a female in IP big law. I found that surprising.

Even though its 50/50 between men and women attending law school, women in the field are scarce on the partner level and staying in the profession due to pursuing a family life/childcare. Since fewer lawyers are in IP, the number of women in IP is a lot less.

Also check any firm sites, many of them should show women listed under diversity initiatives.

[Kohinoor]

I know an African-American woman at my lower T2 who has a paid 1L summer gig at a V50. I also know that she got a D on at least one of her major legal writing assignments and a C- in Torts. I'm top 15% (white male) and didn't even get an interview. I would say at least one firm is giving some big points for URMs.

Her essays were likely far superior to yours in the aggregate.

[Renzo]

Sorry to post anon but i'd rather not reveal myself to peers or potential employers


Question: being from miami, I identify as Cuban. Does Cuban American count as "diverse" and/or desirably diverse for bigfirms?

Are you white? As a white hispanic, its my opinion that you have to be sufficiently brown to not look like an asshole showing up at a "diversity" event. If you pass the pigment test, you're diverse.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry to post anon but i'd rather not reveal myself to peers or potential employers


Question: being from miami, I identify as Cuban. Does Cuban American count as "diverse" and/or desirably diverse for bigfirms?

Are you white? As a white hispanic, its my opinion that you have to be sufficiently brown to not look like an asshole showing up at a "diversity" event. If you pass the pigment test, you're diverse.

That's stupid. Hispanics come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. That's why its an ethnic background and not a race. You're black, right? Imagine if you had a recessive trait for skin complexion and you looked whiter than the GAP. Would you be cool missing out on a URM bump then?

[Renzo]

Sorry to post anon but i'd rather not reveal myself to peers or potential employers


Question: being from miami, I identify as Cuban. Does Cuban American count as "diverse" and/or desirably diverse for bigfirms?

Are you white? As a white hispanic, its my opinion that you have to be sufficiently brown to not look like an asshole showing up at a "diversity" event. If you pass the pigment test, you're diverse.

That's stupid. Hispanics come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. That's why its an ethnic background and not a race. You're black, right? Imagine if you had a recessive trait for skin complexion and you looked whiter than the GAP. Would you be cool missing out on a URM bump then?

Don't pick anonymous race fights. Out yourself or don't waste my time.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not picking a fight. I'm making a point. Hispanic =/ race. to establish a standard by which skin tone implies urm status is somewhat ridiculous

[Renzo]

I'm not picking a fight. I'm making a point. Hispanic =/ race. to establish a standard by which skin tone implies urm status is somewhat ridiculous

Out yourself or don't waste my time.

[Cole S. Law]

I know an African-American woman at my lower T2 who has a paid 1L summer gig at a V50. I also know that she got a D on at least one of her major legal writing assignments and a C- in Torts. I'm top 15% (white male) and didn't even get an interview. I would say at least one firm is giving some big points for URMs.

Her essays were likely far superior to yours in the aggregate.

Unlikely. She asked me to read over her essay and give feedback after the school outted me as the high A in 1st semester legal writing. With D on that brief, the highest grade she could have gotten in legal writing was C-. She told me about the C- in Torts to scold me for complaining about the prof's disregard for the curve when he didn't give out a single A or A-. She's 22, so I'm guessing no exceptional WE. She's not exceptionally hot, so that's out as a factor.

[Oblomov]

.

[Kohinoor]

I know an African-American woman at my lower T2 who has a paid 1L summer gig at a V50. I also know that she got a D on at least one of her major legal writing assignments and a C- in Torts. I'm top 15% (white male) and didn't even get an interview. I would say at least one firm is giving some big points for URMs.

Her essays were likely far superior to yours in the aggregate.

Unlikely. She asked me to read over her essay and give feedback after the school outted me as the high A in 1st semester legal writing. With D on that brief, the highest grade she could have gotten in legal writing was C-. She told me about the C- in Torts to scold me for complaining about the prof's disregard for the curve when he didn't give out a single A or A-. She's 22, so I'm guessing no exceptional WE. She's not exceptionally hot, so that's out as a factor.

I'm sure it had nothing to do with the color of her skin. Maybe she's a great resume preparer or conversationalist or ballerina, any aspect of her as person than her race is more likely.

tcr

[Kohinoor]

I know an African-American woman at my lower T2 who has a paid 1L summer gig at a V50. I also know that she got a D on at least one of her major legal writing assignments and a C- in Torts. I'm top 15% (white male) and didn't even get an interview. I would say at least one firm is giving some big points for URMs.

Her essays were likely far superior to yours in the aggregate.

Unlikely. She asked me to read over her essay and give feedback after the school outted me as the high A in 1st semester legal writing. With D on that brief, the highest grade she could have gotten in legal writing was C-. She told me about the C- in Torts to scold me for complaining about the prof's disregard for the curve when he didn't give out a single A or A-. She's 22, so I'm guessing no exceptional WE. She's not exceptionally hot, so that's out as a factor.

She sounds like a better interviewer than you.

[Posner]

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