Law Remains A White Profession

The fact there are many high-profile lawyers of color, on the Supreme Court and in the White House, gives the false impression that the profession is becoming more diverse, according to legal scholar Deborah L. Rhode. That’s a danger, Rhode says in the Washington Post, because when people perceive that the problem has been solved, they may stop working to make the legal industry a more egalitarian place. “Many lawyers believe that barriers have come down, women and minorities have moved up, and any lingering inequality is a function of different capabilities, commitment, and choices,” Rhode writes. “The facts suggest otherwise.” She cites a number of studies, including one that showed an astonishing difference in how law firm partners analyzed a candidate’s writing ability, based solely on what the partner was led to believe was the writer’s racial background.