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| Photo: Junial Enterprises | Shutterstock. |
Despite how the field may currently look—with three women now
serving on the Supreme Court and an attorney general, president, and first lady
who are African-American--the law profession still struggles with a diversity
problem. About 88 percent of lawyers are white, and because people who work in
law typically hold positions of authority as judges, heads of government
organizations, and lawmakers, most of our nation’s influence and power comes
from people who are white. This is a fact that needs to be remedied, and the
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity believe they can make a difference through
equality in education.
The Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, or SEO, strives to make
a difference around the world by providing a free, eight-year academic program
to help low-income students through high school and college. Roughly 100
percent of students are accepted into a four-year university, and 95 percent of
students graduate college within six years, compared to 54 percent who graduate
in six years nationally.
SEO’s board is full of people dedicated to
making a difference, like finance veteran Henry Kravis and Amy Ellis-Simon, who works as the Managing
Director at Morgan Stanley.
By promoting education for low-income students, the SEO is also promoting
diversity in education—and that means diversity in a lot of fields, including
law. The problems in law are very real: it is
currently the least diverse profession.
Even though a third of the population and a fifth of law school graduates are
people of color, they only make up seven percent of law firm partners, nine
percent of general counsels of large corporations, and only three percent of
associates. Only two percent of law partners are of African-American descent.
"To address these issues, legal organizations need a stronger
commitment to equal opportunity, which is reflected in policies, priorities,
and reward structures. Leaders must not simply acknowledge the importance of
diversity, but also hold individuals accountable for the results," writes The Washington Post.
Through their programs, the
SEO is finding careers and opportunities
for underserved and underrepresented communities. In addition to the SEO
Scholars academic program, the SEO also offers Career and Alternative
Investments programs to work with individuals interested in banking and
corporate leadership who might not otherwise find the right opportunities.
These programs help ensure a healthier future for all sectors and
fields, including law. The SEO is working to ensure that the problem of
diversity is not only acknowledged in law and in other professions, but that it
is made actionable and therefore resolvable.
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