Inclusion Blueprint
Inclusion Blueprint
The only tool designed specifically for law firms that measures the “E” and the “I” in DEI at both the leadership and practice group levels.
The Inclusion Blueprint is distinctive because it measures actions that lead to greater diversity. Since its 2018 launch in partnership with ChIPs, it has provided firm management and practice group leaders with a roadmap of inclusion practices to employ and track to ensure their underrepresented lawyers have fair and equal access to quality work, influential sponsors, and other opportunities.
Participating firms complete the Inclusion Blueprint assessment by submitting data on four key diversity and inclusion indicators, including: (1) current diversity representation based on average or above-average benchmarks, (2) year-over-year diversity representation progress, (3) diversity representation tracking, and (4) meaningful inclusion practices and activities. Firms are also encouraged to commit to implementing at least one “Do Something Hard” action.
2022 Inclusion Blueprint — Findings Released
With more than 240 participating law firms this year, the legal profession now has the data needed to measure inclusion – in addition to representation – of underrepresented lawyers on a large scale for the first time. The full results can be found in the 2022 Inclusion Blueprint Insights.
2022 Inclusion Blueprint — Champions Announced
Each year, Diversity Lab recognizes firms that are proven leaders across the key inclusion indicators as Inclusion Champions. In 2022, eight law firms and thirteen practice groups met or exceeded the challenging eligibility criteria to be named an Inclusion Champion. Join us in congratulating these leaders for doing the hard work to create inclusive law firms and practice groups. Watch these short videos from the Firm Leadership Inclusion Champions to see what set them apart from the 240+ firms who completed the 2022 Inclusion Blueprint. And watch the special two-part webinar series where leaders of the Practice Group Inclusion Champions explain how they leverage their unique and influential positions to drive inclusion within their group. See the recent press release here.
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The 2022 Inclusion Blueprint Insights, which reveal how 240+ firms are driving change, will be released shortly.
How to Participate
The next Inclusion Blueprint Assessment will be released in Fall 2023. If your firm is interested in participating, please contact Leila Hock at leila@diversitylab.com. Participating firms have three opportunities to demonstrate their commitment to inclusion and to be honored publicly for their actions:
- Diversity Lab Inclusion Champion Awards
- ChIPs Honor Roll Awards
- Recognition for Commitment to “Do Something Hard”
About the Inclusion Blueprint
Background
The Inclusion Blueprint, a collaborative project between Diversity Lab and ChIPs, provides a first-of-its-kind tool to measure the representation of diverse lawyers and the career-enhancing inclusion activities that law firms can and should employ to ensure that historically underrepresented lawyers have fair and equal access to quality work, influential people, and other opportunities.
The Inclusion Blueprint was initially created by Diversity Lab and launched in partnership with ChIPs in 2018 to measure and track the gender diversity and inclusion in firm leadership and Intellectual Property practice groups in law firms. With input and support from teams from the Spring and Fall 2018 Diversity in Law Hackathon series, the Inclusion Blueprint has since been expanded to track additional inclusion activities and to include underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities in all practice groups.
The Inclusion Blueprint includes four main categories for law firms to track, measure, and benchmark their diversity and inclusion efforts at both the firm leadership and practice group levels: (1) current diversity representation based on average or above-average thresholds, (2) year-over-year diversity representation progress, (3) diversity representation tracking, and (4) meaningful inclusion practices and activities. Firms are also encouraged to commit to implementing at least one “Do Something Hard” action.
The “Hard” actions at the leadership level include: (1) providing 50 hours of billable credit for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) contributions, (2) linking partner and/or practice group leader compensation to DEI, and (3) conducting pay and origination credit equity gap analyses for partners. The practice group actions include: (1) providing matter credit to underrepresented lawyers for originating or expanding work, (2) staffing client teams with at least 50% underrepresented lawyers who have direct access to clients, and (3) committing to an Ally Action Pledge.
Benefits of Participating
By participating in the Inclusion Blueprint, your firm and practice groups will have a roadmap of meaningful actions to take to continue investing in diverse talent and ensuring fair and equal access to career-building opportunities for all lawyers. As part of this process, Diversity Lab will score each firm, allowing firms to compare themselves against their peers and the industry. Diversity Lab and ChIPs will recognize the ChIPs Honor Roll Award firms, Inclusion Champion firms, and firms that make bold “Do Something Hard” commitments.
With the information included in the Inclusion Blueprint, the more firms that participate, the better Diversity Lab can analyze and determine which inclusion activities have the biggest impact on achieving greater diversity representation. With this analysis available publicly, the legal profession can prioritize their efforts on the most meaningful actions to move the needle farther faster, and the Inclusion Blueprint can transition from being a blueprint for individual firms and practice groups to a blueprint for the entire legal industry
Knowledge Sharing
2022 Inclusion Champions Knowledge Sharing:
Watch these short videos that highlight the key actions that made the Firm Leadership Inclusion Champions stand out.
Watch recordings of the special two-part webinar series hosted in collaboration with Gina Passarella, Editor-in-Chief of The American Lawyer, to hear how leaders of the 2022 Practice Group Inclusion leverage their unique and influential positions to drive inclusion within their practice group.
2021 Inclusion Champions Knowledge Sharing:
Hear from leaders at the 2021 Inclusion Champions law firms discuss their trailblazing efforts related to Linking Compensation to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Transparency in Pay, Promotions, and Performance Reviews; and Monitoring & Tracking Client Team Diversity and Direct Access.
Key Findings & Reports
Press Releases
Diversity Lab Press Release on the 2022 Inclusion Champions
Diversity Lab Press Release on the 2021 Inclusion Blueprint Findings & Champions
ChIPs Press Release on the 2021 ChIPs Honor Roll
Diversity Lab Press Release on the 2021 Inclusion Blueprint “Do Something Hard” Commitments
Diversity Lab Press Release on the 2019 Inclusion Blueprint Champions
Strategic Planning Guides
Diversity Lab and ChIPs are encouraging law firms to use the Inclusion Blueprint Strategic Planning Guides as a tool to help plan for diversity and inclusion activities and programs.
Click here to view the 2020-2021 Firm Leadership Inclusion Blueprint Guide
Click here to view the 2020-2021 Practice Group Inclusion Blueprint Guide