The Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession (IILP) is a not-for-profit organization that, through educational programs, research and publications addresses the lack of diversity and inclusion that continues to challenge the legal profession and undermine its credibility within the justice system. This year we have partnered with an AmLaw 100 firm (“the firm”) with over 1,100 lawyers across offices in Asia, Europe and the United States.

IILP and the firm have recruited HNMCP to conduct a stakeholder assessment to better understand the firm’s current systems for handling internal disputes, disagreements, and misunderstandings that involve diversity and inclusion issues within the firm, including issues of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, and LGBT issues. Following analysis of the data collected, the HNMCP team will generate a report that will be shared with the firm’s leadership regarding their assessment of the current processes in place at the firm and recommendations to enhance the firm’s existing efforts. IILP will use aggregate data from this project, as well as research and assessments from a Fall 2010 project with HNMCP, to prepare its own report on how law firms are managing varying types of inclusion issues and to form its own recommendations for continued work in this area.

Our Work

• Review existing firm literature and policies relevant to diversity and inclusion issues
• Survey a cross-section of attorneys, and conduct one-on-one interviews, regarding attitudes and preferences for addressing internal disputes, disagreements, and misunderstandings that involve diversity and inclusion issues within their firm
• Research and review literature to gather best practices information from other industries.

Deliverables Envisioned

• A  final  report and presentation to the firm summarizing  the  findings  and  outlining  best  practices recommendations for the firm to further enhance its existing processes around management of internal disputes, disagreements, and misunderstandings that involve diversity and inclusion issues
• Potential assistance by the HNMCP team in implementing its recommended best practices