Minority Law Journal Reports Slow Progress Toward Diversity in Nation's Largest Law Firms.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2002

Minorities Now Compose 10% Of Lawyers At Big Firms, But

Continue To Make Partner At Lower Rates

Minority Law Journal(R) (MLJ) reported today that the total percentage of minority attorneys at the nation's largest law firms exceeded 10% last year for the first time, but that their advancement remains uneven.

In its annual Diversity Scorecard survey, MLJ found that minority representation had actually declined at some firms, and that most growth in minority hiring took place at the associate level. The magazine conducted its study in conjunction with The National Law Journal(R)'s annual survey of the largest firms in the country. Complete results and tables are available in the Spring 2002 issue of the magazine, and will be available online at www.minoritylawjournal.com on May 1. Survey results will also be available at www.law.com.

Attorneys of color are overwhelmingly concentrated in the associate ranks at the country's largest firms, the MLJ reports, and fewer make partner. Last year minorities composed 3.9% of all partners and 14% of all associates at these firms; in 1991 they represented 2.4% of all partners and 6.8% of all associates.

Overall, Asian Americans continue to make up the biggest and fastest-growing segment of the minority population at big firms, although they are slightly outnumbered by African Americans at the partner level.

A total of 206 firms, with more than 87,500 lawyers (more than 54,000 associates and 33,000 partners), reported minority data for the survey. Firms reported their statistics as of September 30, 2001.

Changes at individual firms varied widely. Because firms typically have relatively few minority attorneys, small numeric changes can produce large percentage shifts. Over the past three survey years, New York-based Cravath, Swaine and Moore registered the largest increase in minority representation, while White & Case, another New York firm, showed the biggest decrease for the same period. At the same time, almost all of the gains at Cravath have come in the ranks of associates. The firm reported only one minority partner in 2001, while White & Case reported 17 minority partners.

"When you look at the statistics on minority lawyers, you always have to decide whether the glass is half full, or half empty," said Brian Zabcik, editor of MLJ. "On the one hand, the number of minority attorneys at large firms remains far too small. On the other hand, that number has steadily increased for three decades. But making partner remains a big barrier. More firms excel at hiring minority associates, but few promote them to partner at the same rate that they do with white attorneys."

To subscribe or request back copies of Minority Law Journal, including the current issue, please contact Hyacintia O'Brien at [e-mail] or [phone], ext. 5912, or [phone]. The Minority Law Journal is published quarterly by American Lawyer Media, Inc. (ALM).

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