Changing the Law Profession’s Diversity Problem Through Mentoring

Mentorship is vital to hiring and retaining the diverse lawyers who ensure the American legal system’s continued relevance

Inclusive teams are important in all industries, but trying to create and foster diversity in the legal profession—arguably a business that could benefit from it the most—has been an uphill battle for decades. Despite the industry’s recognition of the importance of diversity, we still have a way to go before the law profession can officially shed its one-dimensional stigma.

Fortunately, however, the profession is beginning to formally adopt measures designed to address this diversity crisis. The Mansfield Rule, for example, is changing the face of leadership in law by making diversity a central component in hiring and promotion decisions. We are also seeing firms and corporations implementing various diversity initiatives to help emphasize inclusion on a more individualized level.

But the Mansfield Rule and individual initiatives alone are not enough to tackle the high rates of attrition for female lawyers and lawyers of color, as well as the overall lack of diversity.

So, what can be done to create a profession that better represents the varying backgrounds of the people it serves? If the goal is to create inclusive spaces and a pipeline of diverse lawyers entering the field, then the key very well may lie in mentoring programs.

What is mentoring in the law?

Mentoring, as defined by Law Practice Today, is “the passing on of skills, knowledge, and wisdom from one person to another.” It is commonly known for its impactful role in career success, but is largely missing for female and minority law professionals, causing disparities in promotion and retention.

There are two styles of mentoring programs:

• Formal: Mentoring programs established and officially monitored through the workplace

• ·Informal: An organically grown relationship between an experienced professional (mentor) and a less-experienced professional (mentee)

According to a study published by the American Inns of Court, 87 percent of participating law firms offer some kind of mentoring program for incoming associates, but most do not provide formal mentoring programs for female or minority lawyers. That said, informal mentoring is easier to accomplish, often more successful than formal mentoring programs, and specifically more commonplace in smaller firms.

What makes mentoring successful at fostering a diverse workforce?

Mentoring relationships have a significant impact on career success in the law profession, yet most women and minority lawyers lack access to attorneys at the partner or the senior partner levels who can act as advocates and champion their upward mobility.

For many young, diverse lawyers who find themselves working among established colleagues in a new firm, mentoring can mean the difference between finding their specialty and feeling confident in exploring it—or leaving for other opportunities. Mentoring is crucial in helping minority lawyers safely traverse workplace dynamics where they may encounter passive or direct discrimination based on systemic privileges embedded in the profession.

Of course, not all senior-level lawyers make good mentors, but encouraging minority mentors in particular—those who have overcome hurdles during the rise of their career—allows them to provide relatable advice, strategy, inspiration, and access to internal networks to up-and-coming minority lawyers. And if more senior attorneys overall took an active interest in mentoring relationships with young, diverse lawyers, these newer employees will experience greater opportunities and fewer professional roadblocks.

How can firms and in-house teams foster a mentoring culture?

Mentoring offers an opportunity to make the law profession more diverse, and a strong focus needs to be placed on both formal and informal mentoring relationships within both firms and in-house teams.

One formal strategy is to partner every young, early-stage lawyer or new hire with a mid-career or senior-level attorney to foster a mentoring relationship. Another idea is to provide bonuses and monetary incentives to those who actively participate in mentoring programs; or advocate for dedicated resource groups designed to help nurture inclusivity and provide access to mentoring networks for diverse lawyers struggling to find their place within the profession.

Diversity and inclusion are critical components in ensuring the positive evolution of the legal field. And mentorship is an important component of hiring and retaining the types of lawyers who maintain the industry’s relevance in a changing society.  

Carrington Legal Search is a woman-owned business that is dedicated to providing a diverse slate of candidates for every search that we are engaged to handle. To help you meet your diversity goals, contact us at carrie@carringtonlegal.com or 512.627.7467.