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I got into a debate with one of my friends a few days ago. Basically the topic was whether race was an impediment for small and mid law firms. He said that race only matters for Big Law, because they are seeking diversity. However in Small/Mid Law that same diversity may not be actively sought out.

So I figured I would pose the question here. I think I am posting in the right area. Does being non-white hold you back in legal employment for firms with under say 50 attorneys?

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Totally depends on the firm. I had coffee with the hiring partner from a medium firm (about 50 attorneys) but diversity is very important to them. I don't think it's just talk because they hire diverse interns every year and their firm had more diverse attorneys than average. Also there's another small firm near me that was started by women and they definitely care a lot about diversity. That being said, I'm sure many many don't. It's about finding the right partners who do care and connecting with them. I often look for ones that are involved in affinity groups or have stuff on their bio that shows they might care more about diversity.

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BankruptMe wrote:I got into a debate with one of my friends a few days ago. Basically the topic was whether race was an impediment for small and mid law firms. He said that race only matters for Big Law, because they are seeking diversity. However in Small/Mid Law that same diversity may not be actively sought out.

So I figured I would pose the question here. I think I am posting in the right area. Does being non-white hold you back in legal employment for firms with under say 50 attorneys?

It has its detriments like it does throughout broader society (e.g. subconscious bias by those of a different ethnic background, some conscious bias), but there are still positives. There is a serious dearth of attorneys of certain ethnic backgrounds, and like it or not, people -- including clients -- tend to be most comfortable with people like themselves. Many small/mid-sized law firms know this, and know that there is a competitive advantage to be gained by attracting and retaining skilled minorities, who can then expand business in traditionally underserved communities. There is money to be made, even in communities that are traditionally underserved due to poverty, especially on the plaintiffs' side but also in smaller transactional, biz-formation, and tax work.

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