(photo by Getty)
It is not an unfair criticism of Biglaw to say they are disconnected from the society they ostensibly serve. They frequently operate in a world of high finance and bet the company litigation that feels removed from the everyday lives of so many. But that’s the thing about 2020, it has a knack for bringing the problems of the world right to your front door.
So in the wake of protests against racism sparked by the death of George Floyd under the knee of police officer Derek Chauvin, how is Biglaw responding? Every firm will have it owns response from the concrete (donating resources and pro bono hours) to the symbolic (expressing outrage) to the silent (the work never stops in Biglaw). Above the Law is committed to documenting the reactions of all the Biglaw firms.
The first Biglaw firm that Above the Law heard had made a statement about the protests is also one of the most prestigious. Skadden’s managing partner, Eric Friedman, sent an all-firm email condemning racism and specifically calling out the recent violent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.
Friedman also reaffirmed the firm’s commitment to using pro bono efforts to combat racism saying the firm was looking at even more ways to use that platform. He also announced the firm made a $100,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
You can read Skadden’s full statement here.
The email that Davis Polk’s managing partner, Neil Barr, sent out is a short but heartfelt statement of grief and anger over recent events. He also affirmed the firm’s rejection of bigotry and dedication to diversity and inclusion.
The statement from Davis Polk is here.
The email from Kim Koopersmith, managing partner at Akin Gump, connected all the dots from recent events (George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Christian Cooper, and the violence against Asian Americans in the wake of COVID-19) and concluded, “It is hard not to feel the gulf that exists between the promise of our countries and the reality that continues to exist for people of color. I have no answers, but I do think that it is crucial that we take the time to digest events and reflect on what this says about us and how much more there is to be done to achieve the level of dignity, respect and equality that everyone deserves.”
Akin Gump’s statement is available here.
Lowenstein Sandler’s Gary Wingens had one of the most thorough responses to recent events from a Biglaw firm. The firm encouraged all employees to speak up if they hear something racist, they acknowledged the emotional toll events are taking on employees and provided links to firm mental health resources, they mentioned social justice organizations that need support, and reaffirmed the firm’s pledge to support anti-bias efforts with their pro bono work.
Finally, the firm committed to keep the conversation about race and bias going, with a discussion series:
In the coming weeks, we will host multiple in-depth discussions exploring the impact of bias and racism on people of color and it’s corrosive impact on our society more generally, as well as what we can do to support one another.
Lowenstein Sandler’s full statement is available here.
Another firm that made a statement about recent events is Littler. The statement acknowledged the systemic injustices in this country and condemned any form of intolerance. They also offered this to their employees and colleagues of color:
We’re here for you; we’re listening; and we stand in solidarity with you and all those who face ongoing systemic marginalization, racism and oppression.
Littler’s statement is available here.
We need your help to make this list as complete as possible. If your firm has made a statement about Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Christian Cooper, or the protests, let us know. You can email us or text us (646-820-8477). We’ll regularly update this post as we receive more information.
Current list of Biglaw statements:
Akin Gump
Davis Polk
Littler
Lowenstein Sandler
Skadden
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).