Has the legal sector succumbed to diversity fatigue?
Is the industry exhausted by the integral diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework or is there an industry-wide understanding that inclusive leadership is more than just a desirable strategy? This is the question we keep coming back to.
According to our third annual Diversity, Inclusion & Law study analysing and highlighting those driving sustained change within the legal sector, 84% of the 133 leaders surveyed said they are not being recognised or rewarded for their DEI work, despite 71% stating there is a formal DEI strategy and delivery in place in their business.
As CEO, I have the privilege of speaking to leaders across the legal sector who actively engage with their teams, promote transparency and hold themselves accountable for DEI outcomes. However, as our latest research states, there is still work to be done.
The senior leaders we surveyed identified two key barriers that have restricted DEI progression over the last 12 months: the lack of recognition and value held for non-billable work, and the lack of buy-in from senior leaders. Highlighting the problems, one senior partner noted: “We face a lack of resources and time; DEI is often treated as an extra, rather than a priority.”
With this inadequate approach filtering down from the top, it is therefore unsurprising that 46% of leaders could only identify one to three people within their legal team who contribute to DEI initiatives if it didn’t fall under their remit.
“To execute a sustainable strategy that will last the course, a clear financial commitment must be made — executive backing alone is not enough”
Sadly, less than a quarter (24%) said they felt very empowered in delivering a DEI agenda. Feeling disempowered and undervalued is a dangerous combination when it comes to fostering change.
Inclusive leaders do not merely need to set the agenda; they must also cultivate and protect an environment where every employee feels a sense of ownership and participation in the DEI journey. One senior leader told us: “We have recently developed a comprehensive DEI strategy that includes specific targets and action plans. This helped us keep the momentum and make real progress.”
If accountability and transparency can be adopted by leaders, it will help build trust and commitment within their teams and guarantee that everyone understands the organisation’s direction.
However, to execute a sustainable strategy that will last the course, a clear financial commitment must be made — executive backing alone is not enough.
Unfortunately, over half of the leaders we surveyed believe their company’s financial investment in DEI will not change over the next 12 months, highlighting a potential blockade to progression.
Without sufficient resources and senior backing, we run the risk of stagnating the progress that has been made in the past decade, during which we rightly celebrated the steady increase of female and minority ethnic lawyers.
To echo the words of one leader, creating a leadership culture where diversity and inclusion are integral to every decision is essential for sustained progress. DEI can no longer just be a box-ticking exercise — it is a non-negotiable for creating a brighter, more representative future for the legal sector, and for all.
