Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Equity means making resources and opportunities accessible to everyone. Law firms become more equitable when they identify the barriers some groups face due to historic imbalances, and take concrete steps to remove those barriers so that all lawyers and administrative staff have access to valuable work assignments, professional development, promotion, advancement, and leadership. Improving equity means examining the status quo and applying thoughtful solutions to ensure that internal systems provide everyone with access to opportunity.

Inclusion is the intentional engagement and effective integration of individuals from all backgrounds, which empower lawyers and administrative staff to contribute their perspectives and ideas. Inclusion is indispensable for reaping the benefits of diversity.

Equity + Inclusion = Diversity

Ballard Spahr is committed to increasing equity and inclusion because they create a diverse and well-rounded law firm that delivers superior results for clients.

A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is the right thing to do for our firm, our profession, and our broader communities. And it’s good business. The diverse legal teams we create are better positioned to understand our clients' businesses and help them meet the evolving challenges of a global economy.

What We Are Doing: Commitment in Action

Our diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment is informed by research, self-examination, and the evolving needs of lawyers, administrative staff, and clients. Below is just a sample of what we are doing each day to move closer to our commitment:

• Staffing diverse teams for client matters
• Integrating lateral hires effectively
• Monitoring our work assignment process to ensure access to opportunity
• Building the pipeline for advancement and succession in our leadership
• Engaging both administrative staff and lawyers through networking and mentoring programs
• Empowering administrative leadership to set benchmarks and take action
• Employing an equity mindset and challenging the status quo
• Conducting firm-wide mandatory education sessions on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics
• Building dashboards for our clients to understand their legal team’s demographics
• Providing diversity, equity, and inclusion orientation for all new hires
• Being one of the first Am Law 100 firms to have a manager position that focuses exclusively on diversity, equity, and inclusion for administrative staff
• Developing and implementing the Plan to Strengthen Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which focuses on improving the recruitment, retention, and promotion of colleagues of color, particular Black colleagues
• Leading working group assessments of systems and processes to identify any bias and address it
• Educating supervising lawyers and professional staff on how to mitigate common biases in processes such as interviewing, hiring, and performance evaluations

Diversity, equity, and inclusion extends outside the firm. We make an impact on communities through civic leadership and pro bono work, including our Racial Justice and Equality Initiative, as well as through fundraising campaigns for social justice organizations and by ensuring supplier diversity in local counsel, legal service providers, and other vendors. We actively seek to do business with firms and businesses owned by women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Awards and Recognition

Results matter. We don’t just talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion—we walk the talk. Ballard Spahr has been recognized nationally and regionally for the success of our efforts across the firm, including inclusiveness in our leadership ranks. We are Mansfield 5.0 certified, with Mansfield Certification Plus status for achieving at least 30 percent diverse lawyer representation in a notable number of its current leadership roles. We have earned a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index since 2019, earning the designation of a "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality."

Associates chosen to participate in the program are paired with partners who understand that their role involves sponsorship, not just mentoring. Partners in the program will serve as advocates and advisers—introducing protégés to their clients and contacts, working with them on exercises designed to build business acumen, and opening doors that historically may have been closed to them.

Associates will participate in a Business Challenge Project by developing a potential solution to a firm management issue, and also will partner with a firm client in a Client Matter Leadership Opportunity.

While sponsors are champions for their protégés, INVEST ultimately encourages and empowers protégés to be the captains of their own careers by recognizing their initiative and desire to develop at the firm.