Diversity, Equity and Inclusion In Action
Heeding the Call: Our Commitment to Racial Justice
Our commitment to racial justice, antiracism and diversity has been a core principle since the founding of our firm over 75 years ago. It continues to guide us to this day. It is also time to reimagine what we can do to effect change in the firm and our communities and what we can do with the special responsibilities and privileges we hold as part of the legal profession.
In 2020 and 2021, we amplified our internal Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) efforts, establishing a racial justice steering committee, developing a racial justice resource center, hosting a number of speakers and programs addressing race and equity, and leveraging our firmwide resource groups to share ideas for new initiatives.
- The long-standing firmwide DEI Council, which is now led by our firm Chair and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, includes some of the most senior partners of the firm to drive leadership engagement and accountability.
- Our leading pro bono practice excels at the individual client and systemic levels, including co-counseling with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF), Entrepreneurs of Color Fund, National Police Accountability Project, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and more.
- We are among the founding firms of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), which seeks to partner law firm pro bono efforts with legal services agencies and community organizations to promote racial equity in the law.
- In 2021 and 2022 we held a firmwide campaign to stand against hate and violence. Over 450 members of our firm joined together across the world to stand against hate. The campaigns have donated a total of $90,000 split evenly between three organizations fighting for civil and human rights.
A Recruiting Priority
A diverse, inclusive workplace enriches professional growth in ways that far exceed more traditional measures of excellence. We have been an early leader and consistent innovator in meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. We are committed to recruiting exceptional lawyers, and to creating a more inclusive firm.
- The Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Program is a two-year summer program that gives first-year law students the opportunity to work at the firm and with a firm client, engage in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and rejoin the firm for a second summer.
- We also offer three practice group focused Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Programs in Corporate, Financial Restructuring, and Intellectual Property.
- Our Pro Bono Scholars Program is a two-year summer program for first-year law students who spend time at the firm and at a public interest/legal services organization across ten weeks during the first summer and rejoin the firm during the second summer.
- During the 10 week Summer Associate Program, all current and former Strauss Scholars come together for an annual Scholars Summit, which features a few days of programming and networking.
- Our SEO Law Fellows Program provides internships for outstanding diverse rising 1Ls at the nation’s leading law firms.
- We also partner with diverse law student associations for career panels, mock interviews and resume workshops.
Recent Recognitions
In 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018, we were awarded Women in Law Empowerment Forum’s Gold Standard Certification, marking four years of receiving this recognition.
2019 recipient of The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)’s Law Firm Diversity Award.
2022 marked fifteen years with a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index benchmark of LGBTQ+ employee policies and practices.
2022 Seramount Best Law Firms for Women and 2021 Working Mother 50 Best Law Firms for Women which recognizes the law firms that are most successful in their efforts and results in retaining and promoting women lawyers.
Mansfield 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 Certified Plus—At least 30% representation of women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers and lawyers with disabilities in candidate pools and firm leadership roles and committees
Selected as one of Diversity Journal’s Diversity Team Award Winners.
2020 Flex Impact Award Honoree–Diversity & Flexibility Alliance
2020 national finalist for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s (MCCA) Thomas L. Sager Award
Professional Development Opportunities
Akin is committed to fostering inclusion and the professional development of all lawyers at different stages of their careers, including our Summer Associate Academy, Fall Associate Academy, Mid-Level Associate Academy (fourth-year associates) and New Counsel Academy (sixth-year associates). Akin launched mentoring circles in our largest U.S. offices: New York, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles. Each circle has three to four partners and a mix of associates, with the goal of creating a matrix of relationships to broaden and deepen our lawyers’ networks within the firm.
Diverse lawyers may participate in additional professional development opportunities with external partners, including:
- Charting your Own Course
- Corporate Counsel Women of Color Conference
- Council of Urban Professionals
- Diversity and Flexibility Alliance
- Hispanic National Bar Association
- Lambda Legal
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association
- National Bar Association
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- National LGBTQ+ Bar Association
- South Asian Bar Association.
Firmwide Resource Groups (FRGs)
Our FRGs build a sense of community, provide a forum to exchange information with firm leadership, and complement efforts related to recruiting, professional development and fostering inclusive workspaces. Each FRG has a member of our Management Committee, our highest governing body, serve as the Executive Sponsor to foster a connection between firm leaders and FRG members.
- Abilities
- Asian
- Black
- First Generation/Social Mobility
- LatinX
- Middle East/North Africa (MENA)
- Native American/Indigenous Peoples (NAIP)
- Out & Allied (LGBTQ+)
- Parents & Caregivers
- Women's
- Veterans.
Implicit Bias and Inclusive Leadership Initiative
In 2020 we launched this initiative to provide a refresher on how implicit and systemic bias can impact our everyday interactions. We are also implementing bias interrupters in key firm processes, including regular reminders of key types of biases and strategies to minimize the influence of bias in areas such as evaluations, partner promotions, work assignments, partner compensation and recruiting. In 2021, we provided inclusive leadership sessions with guidance on the actions partners and other leaders can take to build diverse teams and manage them in a more inclusive manner.
Allyship
In 2021, we partnered with Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to offer bystander intervention training to stop xenophobic harassment against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and other communities. We also partnered with Paradigm to offer a workshop on the importance of Allyship.
Key Pipeline Programs
- Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars Program
- SEO Law Fellows Program
- Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program.
Diversity Starts At the Top
Our chairperson is a woman, making us one of the few woman-led AmLaw 50 firms.
2020 National Finalist for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s (MCCA) Thomas L. Sager Award, which recognizes law firms that champion a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
Among our Partner Admissions Committee, 38% are women and 15% are partners of color.
40% of our U.S. offices have diverse partners in charge, including two of our largest offices, New York and Washington, D.C.
60% of our U.S. offices are led by women or racially/ethnically diverse partners
Partners
27%
Women
17%
Racially/ethnically diverse
2.4%
LGBTQ+
New Partner Promotions Since 2020
51%
Women
17%
Racially/ethnically diverse
5.7%
LGBTQ+
Management Committee
31%
Women
15%
Racially/ethnically diverse
2021 U.S. Summer Associates
58%
Women
36%
Racially/ethnically diverse
11%
LGBTQ+
Compensation Committee
18%
Women
27%
Racially/ethnically diverse