Quote:
Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall
Usually it goes the other way. Black associates at large firms find themselves on the outside of the power pipeline (and the related social dynamic) and move (i) in-house, which (although not exactly where it should be) is light years ahead of law firms when it comes to diversity, especially big ones or (ii) to smaller firms with better records with diversity even though the paychecks are smaller.
What I don't understand is why firms don't raid law school night school programs. The people there are often diverse, have worked all their lives (including through school--and the class load is like 1 fewer per semester while the curriculum and professors are exactly the same), and would be completely loyal to any law firm that brought them in.
I had the opportunity to talk to Disney's GC about what I thought would be an innovative way to bring in more diversity to his outside counsel and mentioned this. Of course he said he was the product of a night school law school education and seemed like he thought it to be a good idea. I don't understand the stigma attached to it. But it's there. Can any of you who worked at a large firm (hell, or any firm) name one person who came from night school? This idea that the best talent comes from the most elite schools is a joke. Our firm's partnership adheres to this delusion and there are very few partners who went to elite schools! There is a real disconnect about how people process themselves versus everyone else.
TM
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Yes, I've seen it go the other way when I was in a big firm. The good news is I just poached my associate's replacement from a small firm with a strong reputation for diversity, so I'm hoping I can improve ours (which is, well, very Boston).
I like the night school thought, but can't think of anyone from night school at any of the firms I have been at.
I've used the minority bar associations as part of trying to develop a pipeline, and gotten good resumes just by making sure they were included in every request for resumes we do.
