"Double whammy" for women of color, finds ABA report

Arin Reeves, co-chair, Visible Invisibility

Why are women lawyers of color leaving the profession at an alarming rate? The answer to that question comes from "Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms," a first-of-its-kind study by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. According to the report, women of color experience unique disadvantages based on race in addition to gender. White women experience such events based on gender alone, men of color experience such events based on race alone, and white men have virtually no first-hand or personal experience with discrimination.

Despite the efforts of law firms to expand diversity efforts, Hispanic, African-American, Native American and Asian-American women lawyers in law firms nationwide report a lack of networking and access to significant billable hours, being skipped over for client development opportunities and desirable assignments, and being subjected to demeaning comments or harassment and unfair performance evaluations.

Paulette Brown, co-chair, Visible Invisibility

For example, 44 percent of women lawyers of color working in a large law firm reported that they had been passed over for desirable assignments, compared to 39 percent of white women, 25 percent of men of color and only 2 percent of white men. Similarly, 62 percent of women of color disclosed that they had been excluded from formal and informal networking opportunities, compared to 60 percent of white women, 31 percent of men of color and 4 percent of white men, and 31 percent of women of color reported receiving at least one unfair performance evaluation, compared to 25 percent of white women, 21 percent of men of color and less than 1 percent of white men.

Although previous studies have focused specifically on women lawyers or lawyers of color, the commission's study is the first comprehensive survey of the unique experiences and concerns of women of color in private law firms.

Pamela J. Roberts, chair, ABA Commission on Women

While the findings were not unexpected, wrote project co-chairs Paulette Brown and Arin Reves, "It was a jarring wake-up call even to those of us who deal with this issue in our own lives. We are not just losing talent; we are treating talented people in ways that do not speak well of our profession or the values that undergird it."

"Our aim is to shed light on a significant problem—the invisibility of women lawyers of color in our profession," said Commission Chair Pamela J. Roberts. "But this report is not an end unto itself. We hope law firms will use it as a tool to bolster their efforts to develop, promote and retain women lawyers of color."

Additional information about the research project is available at an online media kit. The report, "Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms," can be ordered through the ABA WebStore.

Back to top