Advancing diversity in the legal profession
Working with our law firm suppliers
The profession and legal service organizations cannot be their best without fostering and increasing diversity. Studies have repeatedly shown that building and supporting a diverse workforce produces higher revenues and leads to better financial results, and that diverse teams are more creative, innovative, and effective.
Microsoft is committed to progressing diversity in the legal profession by focusing not only on our internal teams, but also on the diversity of our law firm supplier base.
Read more about why diversity matters in the selection and engagement of outside counsel.
Law Firm Diversity Program (LFDP)
In 2008, we launched the LFDP to incentivize diversity in the law firms that we partner with. We are committed to accelerating progress, and in 2020, the program expanded to address acute representation issues in African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities.
Women and minority-owned law firms (WMBE)
To further increase diversity in the legal profession, we joined the Inclusion Initiative, sponsored by the National Association for Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Since joining in 2010, Microsoft has spent over $155 million on legal services at such firms.
ABA Resolution 113 and Model Diversity Survey
In 2016, we endorsed the American Bar Association (ABA) Resolution 113 and its mission to create a legal profession that better reflects the diversity of the nation we serve. We also partnered with the ABA to optimize the Model Diversity Survey, improving access to law firm diversity metrics.
Resources
LFDP overview and FAQ
Learn more about Microsoft’s Law Firm Diversity Program.
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