Has the percentage of diverse attorneys at KDW been affected by the current economic downturn?
Reid: No, our diversity statistics show that we remain at or above the average percentage of diverse attorneys in New York City law firms. We are pleased and proud of that fact, given the current economic climate. Editor: Has the economy adversely impacted Kelley Drye’s diversity efforts? Reid: I don’t believe so. I did see the ABA recently reported that within the legal profession the recession has been undermining many diversity programs. This has not been the case at Kelley Drye. We continue to commit time and resources to diversity programming, supporting our attorneys and participating in outreach efforts to increase diversity in the profession. We understand the business reality that in a global economy diverse attorneys best serve our clients, who are industry leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds, just as we have developed more nuanced understandings of the wide range in definitions of diversity. Editor: Were you able to expand diversity efforts last year? Reid: Yes, Kelle
