Diversity isn't created equal
- melissachoe
- Apr 6, 2023
- 1 min read
Updated: Feb 5, 2024
When starting my career at Big Law, I embraced everything diversity (e.g., diversity committees, mentoring, recruiting), so after 25+ years, I was both surprised and disheartened to learn that we aren't doing as well as I thought we would be.
When compared to their male counterparts, Asian American women's share of promotions was one for every two Asian American men at the senior level, and one for every six Asian American men at the C-suite executive level. [Asian American workers: Diverse outcomes and hidden challenges]
Of all the diverse groups (white women, African American women/men, Asian American women/men, Hispanic women/men, Multiracial women/men, Native American women/men), Asian American women (along with Native American women) fared the worst when getting corporate business as outside legal counsel. They received "almost none". [Diverse Outside Counsel: Who's Getting the Business?]
Asian American women made up 7.4% of associates and 1.8% of partners at major law firms, compared to 5.1% and 2.5% for Asian American men, respectively. [A Portrait of Asian American in the Law 2.0]
Advancement to senior management is not the goal for every Asian American woman just as it isn't for every individual. However, for those seeking such a goal, is it attainable? Absolutely! But, we must first acknowledge that Asian American women face and confront a unique set of challenges that other diverse individuals (including other women and Asian American men) do not.
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