Actionable Steps for You to Show That Black Lawyers Matter

So, you’re passionate about equality in the legal profession? How passionate? What actions does your passion lead you to?

The issue of Black and minority access to business opportunities in the legal profession is one that remains far from being fixed, despite numerous decades of stated understanding and support for the concept of equality by General Counsels of most companies. Indeed, while temporarily enflamed by the passions of the moment, General Counsels have repeatedly pledged their support to hold law firms accountable for increased recruitment, and for providing access to good work, business and overall equality to Black lawyers and those of color. But so far to no avail. 

James Baldwin’s prophetic words said: “Your history has led you to this moment, and you can only begin to change yourself by looking at what you are doing in the name of your history.”

Do you genuinely believe that Black Lawyers Matter? If so, no more meaningless pledges. Look into your own activities to establish systems to place Black and other lawyers of color in the path of opportunity. Start by:

• Taking accountability for your lack of success without blaming the profession.
• Look at how many lawyers of color you have placed in the path of meaningful opportunity. Do you even have one? Do you even know any of your lawyers of color by name, if you have any?
• Commit a significant annual amount of business to racially diverse originators (make it a stretch goal) with strings attached as noted above; enough with the scraps off the table approach,
• Show some intellectual curiosity by amassing data on the throngs of skilled Black lawyers available for retention,
• Communicate with the Black lawyers who do work on your matters for the benefit of others and tell them that you are committed to their success,
• Truly empower your team members to develop deep seeded relationships and hire external lawyers of color,
• Break out of your comfort zone and come experience the uncomfortable with us,
• Stop whispering about diversity, scream diversity and its importance,
• Black GCs and those of other colors, you have too long defaulted on your fear that you will be fired or thought less of by hiring people of color on meaningful matters. You have shown too little courage in the face of industry asphyxiation. Abandon this vestige of colonialism,
• Create goals that are based on objective metrics, share your information with the world,
• Stop hiding behind the trappings of the system you have “inherited” as an excuse for inaction as one cannot inherit from himself,
• Stop the cognitive dissonance in which you are engaged by accepting accolades for success, when you know that you have been anything but successful in achieving anything near true equality.

Make this profession everything it should be!

This article is an excerpt from Donald Prophete, a partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete expressed in his individual capacity and in his advocacy for civil right changes and as a champion for meaningful and lasting changes in the legal profession.