Our Firm

Commitment to Diversity


Sidley has been one of the most prominent and progressive proponents of law firm diversity. Many of our lawyers come from diverse backgrounds, races and beliefs. Our mission is to attract and retain outstanding lawyers who reflect the global marketplace that we serve. The firm is committed to achieving greater diversity, not only for our firm but within the legal profession as a whole. Five (14.7%) of the lawyers who were promoted to partnership as of July 2008 were racially or ethnically diverse.

Carlos Rodriguez, a New York partner and member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Stanley Stallworth, a Chicago partner, serve as firmwide co-chairs of the Diversity Committee.

History of the Diversity Initiative

In 1998, Sidley’s management team undertook a comprehensive review of our lawyer evaluation and compensation system. As part of this review, the firm formed separate task forces on issues affecting women and ethnically and racially diverse lawyers. In 2001, each of the task forces became a permanent firm administrative committee. Because firm leadership understood that gender and race issues are sometimes distinct, they created two separate committees: the Committee on Retention and Promotion of Women (Women’s Committee) and the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. In 2006, the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity changed its name to the Diversity Committee to underscore its commitment to LGBT and a wider variety of diversity issues.

The Women’s Committee and the Diversity Committee are effective, in part, because they work together as well as with other firm committees. In particular, by working closely with the Committee on Assignment and Compensation of Associates, as well as the Recruiting Committee and the Summer Associate Committee, we work to ensure that Sidley will continue to recruit, retain and promote outstanding lawyers from diverse backgrounds.

Hiring and Retention

Sidley’s recruitment efforts have been both innovative and progressive, demonstrating a commitment to increasing the number of diverse lawyers in the firm. Our on-campus recruiting includes schools that have significant numbers of racially diverse law students (e.g., Howard University, the University of Miami, Texas Southern University [Houston, TX] and Southern University [Baton Rouge, LA]) and we participate in several regional and diversity-targeted job fairs.

The Diversity Committee is also focused on retention. The Committee on Assignment and Compensation of Associates is charged with monitoring the progress of, and conducting the review process of, all associates. The firmwide and office chairs of the Diversity Committee receive (on a confidential basis) the monthly hours report as well as the semiannual review package for each racially diverse associate and meet with a representative of the Assignment and Compensation Committee on a periodic basis to discuss performance issues and ways to track the career progress of each racially diverse associate. This initiative helps the Diversity Committee identify associates’ issues very early and where called for, allows the Diversity Committee to work with others in the firm to provide assistance as needed. Committee members complement the firm's mentoring program for all associates by acting as informal mentors to racially diverse associates and assisting them in the development of their legal skills and client relationships.

Through our ongoing dedication to recruiting, retaining and promoting outstanding diverse lawyers, Sidley aims to continue as a leader in providing equal opportunity and access to people who reflect the diversity of the communities in which we live and work. 

Diversity in the Community

Our efforts do not stop at the firm's doorway. In Chicago, the firm has helped form community groups such as the private Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms. The committee assists law firms in developing strategies to identify, recruit, hire, retain and promote minority lawyers to partnership. In addition, the committee serves as a support group for minority lawyers in large law firms. We participate in the Cook County Bar Association's mentoring program and have in the past hosted its kick-off reception.

Sidley was one of the first large firms invited to participate in the Minority Counsel Demonstration Project, established by the American Bar Association's Commission on Opportunities for Minorities in the Profession. In addition, the firm participated in the drafting of, and is one of the original signatories to, the Statement of Diversity Principles adopted by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York in 2003. We are also signatories to the Statement of Goals and Principles on Minority Hiring, Retention and Promotion issued by the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

We also contribute to, or participate in, several law-related organizations that support minority lawyers and law students. To read more about our involvement in these organizations click here. 

To learn more about our Commitment to Diversity click any of the links below: