Diversity Surveys

Diverse Associate Surveys - CLI-Member Organizations

CLI conducted two surveys of diverse associates from CLI-member organizations. Survey results confirmed that diverse associates encounter hidden barriers that exclude them from career advancement opportunities at greater rates than non-diverse attorneys. A similar conclusion has been reported in numerous national research studies. Learn more about the survey results:

• 2011 Survey - Review the 2011 Retention Working Group Report: Associate Survey Results for more information about key findings and recommendations for improvement.
• 2009 Survey - Read "Legal Profession 'AIMS' for Diversity: CCIE's Innovative Inclusiveness Program" (March 2010) explaining the results and suggesting ways to improve diverse attorney retention and advancement.

Denver Legal Community 2007 Survey

A major diversity survey was conducted in the Denver legal community in May 2007 in order to assess attitudes of attorneys regarding diversity and inclusiveness. The survey was sent to 5000 attorneys in the greater Denver metropolitan area and nearly 1000 responded. The survey results confirmed that diverse attorneys experience the practice of law in substantially different ways from non-diverse attorneys and that diverse attorneys also still experience discrimination in the legal workplace.

Read the full report: CSI Diversity Report August 2007

Highlights from the Survey:

Recruiting and Retention:

• Racially and ethnically diverse and GLBT attorneys are more likely to:
  • Disagree that sufficient efforts are made to hire diverse attorneys
  • Agree that hiring practices are biased against diverse applicants
  • Be dissatisfied overall
  • Be dissatisfied with access to clients, advancement opportunities, complexity of work, and mentoring opportunities
  • Be actively seeking other employment (they are twice as likely as heterosexual, white males to be currently seeking employment)
  • Report discrimination.

   

Strong Perception of Unfairness:

• 30 percent of all attorneys, including 25 percent of white males, believe racially and ethnically diverse attorneys do not receive advantages such as:
  • Promotions
  • Networking opportunities
  • Training
  • Mentoring
  • Client contact 
  • Fee-generating assignments.
• Racial and ethnic minorities were seven times more likely than white, heterosexual men to have witnessed or experienced discrimination in their workplace.

The Diversity Survey was conducted by Jewlya Lynn, PhD. and Denise McHugh, JD - Center for Systems Integration.