Adrienne Ward and Katherine Mateo Publish Article in Bloomberg Law on How Small and Mid-Sized Firms Can Effectively Deploy DEI Initiatives

Olshan litigation partner Adrienne Ward and counsel Katherine Mateo authored an article in Bloomberg Law titled “Small and Mid-Sized Firms Can Effectively Deploy DEI Initiatives.” The article discusses diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the workplace, and how a focus on DEI can advance the career goals for attorneys and associates in small and mid-sized law firms. Adrienne and Kat explain how right-sizing the approach and gaining buy-in from attorneys at all levels of seniority can help produce strong cultural fits and longevity across the firm. According to the US Census County Business Patterns Report, there are more than 80 times the number of small and midsized law firms than big law firms, and these smaller firms are where many diverse attorneys work. Adrienne and Kat advise how to support these smaller firms with diversity committees, transparent communication, and clear value alignment that centers DEI. “Running a rich and successful program requires buy-in from attorneys at all levels of seniority. When a firm can capture this buy-in, small and midsize firms can effectively deploy DEI initiatives and may even be better suited than big firms to advance such efforts. To help orient the firm’s initiatives, it’s recommended to institute a diversity committee—regardless of size—that is open to all,” they note.