This guest blog post was contributed by former Maverick candidate Bobby Codjoe, Esq. Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Morrison Cohen LLP.
The need for improved Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts within the legal industry is evident to most legal professionals, but what remains unclear for many is the most effective approach to meet that need.
In the wake of the tragic murder of George Floyd in 2020, law firms nationwide committed to redefining themselves and fostering greater inclusivity, equity and representation at all levels of their firms. Some firms responded by creating advisory groups or committees made up of employee volunteers. Some conducted cultural assessments and various DEI trainings.
While these efforts are certainly commendable, they are not the best way to address the comprehensive and multifaceted challenge of effective DEI in the law firm space. Moreover, they may not create measurable and enduring change.
The best approach—and the one all top law firms should be considering —is to hire a dedicated DEI professional to lead the charge.
I have been fortunate to experience the value of this approach firsthand. In March of this year I joined Morrison Cohen as the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (after a talent search spearheaded by Maverick). In this role, I collaborate closely with firm leadership and engage with every facet of the organization to foster a supportive and inclusive environment, regardless of an individual’s background. I’m also responsible for administrating our mentorship program to expand our leadership pipeline, navigating our Mansfield certification process and pursuing potential strategic partnerships.
In short, this role allows me to focus all my knowledge and expertise towards the creation of a positive and inclusive workplace that raises our profile in the DEI landscape. Here are a few more reasons why DEI should be given its own space, time and attention in your firm:
- You are bringing in the necessary Subject Matter Expertise. Tasking an employee with additional DEI responsibilities won’t transform them into a DEI expert. Individuals need time to learn the language, identify practical objectives and curate bespoke strategies to apply to your firm. You’ll get more intentional (and faster) results when you bring in an experienced DEI leader who has demonstrated experience with identifying growth areas, naming a solution and executing a plan.
- You’re showing that DEI is a Firmwide priority. You’re clearly signaling that DEI is not just a box-checking exercise, but a true firmwide priority essential to your organization’s identity. A dedicated DEI professional can look at the organization as a whole and align efforts across multiple departments. One-off training sessions are great at starting the conversation, but they don’t guarantee the momentum will continue within your firm. Additionally, distributing DEI duties among other team members could result in DEI tasks being deprioritized as other work comes up. Having a dedicated DEI professional working with leadership guarantees that your DEI efforts are holistic and a permanent component of your organization.
- Meeting client and talent expectations. A dedicated DEI professional not only cultivates a more inclusive internal environment but also aligns with the rising expectations of clients and prospective talent. Clients are increasingly discerning in their choice of legal services, favoring firms with a strong commitment to DEI as a proxy for a richer perspective in decision-making and cultural competency. This enables the firm to understand and serve clients from diverse backgrounds more effectively. Likewise, top-tier talent is drawn to firms with robust DEI offerings. Firms that employ a DEI professional to lead these critical efforts maintain a competitive edge in the global legal marketplace.
- You have true accountability. Having someone who is responsible for the work means you have someone who is responsible for the results. If efforts succeed, you know who steered the ship. If efforts are unsuccessful, you know who can lead the formation of a new strategy and its execution. Such system adjustments are more difficult if there is no true DEI leader to take ownership of the firm’s efforts.
- You can measure results. Because DEI experts are familiar with the components of inclusive workplaces, they can identify measurable variables and set milestones when shaping your strategy. They can then track those data points, giving you specific data to gauge your strategy’s effectiveness and to identify areas of improvement.
In closing, DEI experts can help improve your culture from the inside out. They can help you transform your DEI objectives from spoken values to a living, actionable system. As the global legal market continues to evolve, embracing DEI as a firmwide priority is not just a choice but a necessity for long-term success.
