Ropes & Gray LLP and Mayer Brown LLP are looking to increase workplace diversity through scholarships. The two law firms awarded 9 scholarships to law students who will work for their firms in the near future. Ropes & Gray LLP “awarded $25,000 individually to five law students who will join the firm as summer associates in 2017.” while Mayer Brown LLP “awarded $15,000 individually to four law students who have already graduated the summer associate program and will now become full-time associates.”
Both organizations are seeking to grow their employee diversity numbers through their education pipelines. According to a recent Big Law Business survey “feedback from 261 lawyers concluded money investment from law firms is the best way to resolve Big Law’s diversity problem.” This investment in associates will hopefully be the catalyst to minority development.
For Mayer Brown, the future does indeed look bright for diversity candidates. According to Jeremiah DeBerry, director of diversity and inclusion at Mayer Brown “Out of 65 summer associates in 2016…55 percent were either racial minorities, ethnic minorities or from the LGBT community.” This improvement from 2013 shows the commitment the law firm is now placing on diversity.
