As law firms focus attention on bringing greater racial and gender equity to their practices, it's time to examine how business development culture has impacted attorneys from historically underrepresented backgrounds and identify opportunities for systemic change. These patterns include the distribution and determination of how casework, points, origination credit, and profit are allocated and ultimately directly impact compensation, wealth distribution, and equity.
Many of the challenges in these systems stem from broader “firm culture” issues that are deeply entrenched and uncomfortable to discuss and expose. There is a real need, however, to address the discomfort more openly and ultimately shift towards actionable change.
This article discusses specific roadblocks existing at the nexus of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and business development (BD) that impede the progress of women, attorneys of color, and other historically underrepresented groups firms. It also offers avenues for law firm leadership to consider as they move towards a more equitable culture. Engaging in conversations at this nexus of DEI and BD can lead to a fairer distribution of compensation, influence, advancement, and power within firms that more accurately reflects the true contributions of underrepresented attorneys.
