4 tips from BYU Law faculty and staff for how to hire more diverse, law students and recent grads

As a fully recovered lawyer, I was happy to receive some great tips from the faculty and staff of Brigham Young University Law School about how law firms and others can better hire diverse, law students and recent graduates:

1. Investment. “To attract and build relationships with a qualified pool of diverse job candidates, businesses can invest in programs at nearby universities and law schools that foster the development of underrepresented students. For example, BYU Law and Utah Law just announced a collaboration with Utah law firms to offer full-tuition Achievement Fellowships to broaden the state’s appeal to underrepresented candidates and take action toward diversification.” – D. Gordon Smith, dean, BYU Law.
2. Commitment. “Commitment from the top-down is key to attracting diverse applicants. Diversity hiring is unlikely to occur if it is not a priority for leadership. Management should include diversity as a priority in the hiring process, not just once, but should demonstrate continued commitment on an ongoing basis.” – Shannon Grandy, Dean of Career Services at BYU Law, which recently announced a collaboration with the University of Utah and Utah law firms to offer a full-scholarship Achievement Fellowship Program aimed at broadening opportunities for underrepresented populations within the Utah legal community.
3. Culture. “Have an internal process where feedback is welcome from diverse employees who already work with the employer. Having open, regular, active conversations with your diverse employees in which the employer seeks to better understand how the commitment to diversity actually plays out in the lives of individual diverse employees will help the company discover its own blind spots. (It may be beneficial to allow for anonymous feedback so employees don’t feel they would be personally at risk for being honest). The more informed the employer is about their culture around diversity, the more specific and accurate information they can supply to diverse job candidates. And, the diverse employees themselves who feel heard and supported may voluntarily become evangelists on behalf of their employers to seek out more diverse candidates.” – Shannon Grandy, Dean of Career Services at BYU Law.
4. Engagement. “Find ways to engage with diverse students earlier in their educational process. Many large law firms do this well. Examples include hosting receptions (virtual and in-person), conducting resume or mock interview workshops, offer diversity fellowships or internships for 1st-summer work. Another prong of engagement is the employer establishing relationships with the minority branches of professional organizations (such as local bar associations) and with law school career services offices and diversity and inclusion staff.” – Shannon Grandy, Dean of Career Services at BYU Law.  The school’s newly announced Achievement Fellowship Program includes mentorship opportunities with Utah law firms.