MCCA and Nokia together launched the Global Law Firm Diversity Survey (“Global Survey”) in 2022, a first-of-its-kind international survey designed to measure how well law firms hire and promote diverse attorneys over time and hold them accountable.
The Global Survey comes at a time when business operations have become increasingly international and companies across the world are moving from awareness to action in their approach to DEI.
The Global Survey was developed through a joint effort between the MCCA and Nokia’s Legal and Compliance team. Respondents provide organizational demographics across key diversity indicators, including race and ethnicity, gender identity, disability status, LGBTQ+ status, and more. In addition, questions about firm leadership, hiring, and management committee composition will help draw a more comprehensive power map of the modern legal landscape.
FAQs
Is this the same Survey as the U.S. Law Firm Diversity Survey?
No. The Global Law Firm Diversity Survey collects data from the following different global regions: Canada, United Kingdom/Europe, Africa, Middle East, Central & South America, and/or Asia. Although similar to the U.S. Survey, the Global Survey is shorter.
Who can participate in the Global Law Firm Diversity Survey?
Law firms who have an office location in Canada, United Kingdom/Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central & South America, and/or Asia may participate in the Global Survey. A law firm does NOT need to be an MCCA member or have a U.S. office to participate.
Is there a fee to participate?
No. All law firms with offices in Canada, United Kingdom/Europe, Africa, Middle East, Central & South America, and/or Asia are encouraged to participate.
Is this a new Survey?
The Global Law Firm Diversity Survey was first administered in 2022; however, the Global Survey draws on the success of Nokia’s DEI scorecard for panel firms and MCCA’s annual U.S. Law Firm Diversity Survey, which has been administered since 2004.
What if I cannot answer a question due to privacy laws in my country?
To the extent you are restricted from asking or providing any information that is set out in the Survey, please answer the questions to the best of your ability, respecting the applicable laws and policies. In such case, please indicate the restrictions in your reply. You may use the comment boxes under the tables to explain the absence of data (for example, if the firm does not track data for a particular demographic category or there is a restriction that does not allow the firm to share the information requested). We encourage you to answer all your questions.
When is the Global Survey due?
Firms will be given at least four weeks to complete the Survey once it launches. For more information please contact education@mcca.com.
Who participated
2022 Global Law Firm Diversity Survey Participants
Alston & Bird LLP
Bird & Bird LLP
Cooley LLP
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP
Fangda Partners
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Jenner & Block LLP
Lewis Silkin LLP
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Reed Smith LLP
Roschier
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Squire Patton Boggs
Global Law Firm diversity survey report
MCCA and Nokia released the results of a new global survey that holds workplaces around the world accountable for hiring and promoting diverse attorneys.
While the nature of bias, discrimination, and inequity in the workplace varies across countries and regions worldwide, the Survey Report highlights several common trends. For example, the firms universally tend to be less diverse at more senior levels, pointing to the need for improved development pipelines for diverse leadership. The initiative also revealed the difficulty of collecting foundational data.
Encouragingly, 96.2% of the law firms that responded engaged in at least some DEI efforts, with 73.1% reporting well-established, formal DEI strategies at their firms. According to the Global Survey, current DEI efforts are strongest at offices in the UK and Europe, while many offices in Asia and the Middle East are still establishing their programs. These results indicate a need for guidance in program development and suggest significant potential for growth in the global DEI landscape.
