At Dickinson Wright, Diversity is the Difference

Dickinson Wright is an AmLaw 200 law firm with nearly 500 attorneys and 19 offices across North America. With expertise in more than 40 practice areas, Dickinson Wright is a full-service law firm with an unparalleled commitment to diversity, client service, and legal strategy.

As we enter a third calendar year facing a worldwide pandemic that has disproportionately impacted black and brown communities, and as the United States continues to grapple with the historical and current realities of systemic racism in this country, the urgency for action has never been stronger. Lawyers in particular have an important role to play in using our unique skillsets and positions of influence to impact change.

While lawyers’ obligations to defend the rule of law is obvious, we have additional roles to play in advancing economic opportunities within our communities, whether by providing representation to underrepresented communities or by providing a balanced voice on diversity issues. These are obligations that Dickinson Wright and its attorneys take seriously every day. But we must start within our own ranks and in all the places where we do business. Ours is a profession that speaks loftily about justice and equity, yet lags far behind in diverse representation, especially for black lawyers, and especially in the highest positions of law firm and legal department leadership.

Dickinson Wright has a proud history of advancing diverse attorneys within our Firm including our Chairman Emeritus Dennis Archer (Savoy Magazine “Most Influential Black Lawyers” selection, 2015), who served as the first African American President of the American Bar Association, as a Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and as the Mayor of Detroit, among many other impressive bullet points on his remarkable resume, and talented rising stars like Venroy July, one of this year’s “Most Influential Black Lawyers” selections. However, we understand the need to foster an environment where diverse attorneys recognize the potential for their own professional advancement.

To further develop our pipeline of diverse professionals, Dickinson Wright implemented a 32-point Diversity Action Plan in 2020. Executed by our Firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC), this Action Plan takes a metrics-driven approach to track attorney recruiting goals, monitor attorney productivity, and ensure equitable work allocation from rainmaker partners to junior lawyers. It also provides for the development of new mentorship and sponsorship activities for diverse attorneys to help retain and advance the future leaders of our Firm.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion” are not merely buzz words at Dickinson Wright—they are part and parcel of all aspects of the Firm. In order to support and encourage all of our attorneys to play their part, Dickinson Wright ties diversity efforts to attorney compensation. In particular, Dickinson Wright is one of only a handful of law firms in the country that award billable hour credit to associates for work done advancing diversity inside and outside the firm. Additionally, the Firm has for many years required partners to indicate on their annual allocations questionnaire how they personally contributed to achieving our Firm’s diversity goals. At Dickinson Wright, diversity, equity, and inclusion are collective priorities, and we look forward to identifying new ways to help all of our professionals meaningfully participate.

The work to create access, equity, and inclusion in our organizations and society is arduous and ongoing, and companies have a responsibility to use their scale, platforms, and resources to be active participants in this new era. Recognizing the urgency of this moment, Dickinson Wright is proud to take up the challenge both internally and externally.

Note: This article was previously published by Savoy Magazine in the Winter 2022 issue. For more information, view this press release or Venroy July’s bio.