Corporations can compare firms by diversity, ABA updates portal following survey results

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The American Bar Association has updated its online portal system that allows corporations to compare law firms they work with using metrics of diversity, equity and inclusion. The portal improvements were announced Monday following the updated results of the ABA Model Diversity Survey released on May 16.

The survey was compiled by the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Profession, and surveyed 287 law firms across the country measuring the firms’ demographics, hiring, promotions, leadership, highest compensated partners, attrition and diversity initiatives.

Companies and firms that have signed the Model Diversity Survey pledge have access to an online dashboard showing statistics for each law firm and how they compare to each other. Reports pertaining to a firm’s demographics, hiring by firm role, promotions, attrition by firm role, trend reports and comparisons among firms are searchable.

Prominent Wisconsin corporations like American Family Mutual Insurance, Fiserv, Kimberly-Clark, Kohl’s, Marsh & McLennan, Molson Coors Brewing Company, Northwestern Mutual and Rockwell Automation have signed the Model Diversity Survey pledge. A complete to-date list of more than 180 U.S. companies is available here.

The information on individual firms is available only to companies that sign an ABA pledge to support the survey and diversity in the legal profession.  According to the 2021 ABA National Lawyer Population Survey, 5% of U.S. lawyers are Hispanic, 5% Black, 2% Asian and 2% multiracial.