More Law Firms Focus on Pipeline Projects

Diversity

Posted Mar 12, 2008, 10:26 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss

More law firms are funding pipeline projects in an effort to find promising minority students at an earlier stage.

The goal is to reach high school and college students, spurring an interest in the law, the National Law Journal reports. But at least one observer says law firms could do more to improve diversity by keeping minorities and women already working for them.

Among the firms involved in such projects are:

--Kirkland & Ellis, which offers scholarships, mentoring and internships to high school seniors. It will give $55,000 to provide scholarships over the next five years.

-- Andrews Kurth, which is funding a debate program at Houston high schools. Elizabeth Campbell, chief diversity officer at the firm, said debaters have a higher college graduation rate and often go on to law school. "They may end up working for us, or they may be our clients," she said.

-- Sullivan & Cromwell, which helped sponsor the Pipeline Crisis/Winning Strategies Initiative forum in New York. One of its focuses is on a decrease in young black men pursuing careers in the law, investment banking and other professions.

-- Kelley Drye & Warren, which participates in a scholarship fund that pays the salaries of interns.

Roland Dumas, director of diversity and marketing for Major, Lindsey & Africa, told the legal publication that the efforts are well-intentioned but firms should instead focus more on retaining minorities and women already in the profession. He said 50 percent of associates are women, but at the partnership level, only 17 percent are women.

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Diversity