Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity is a long-standing core value and also one of the firm’s strategic goals. Embracing diversity allows us to draw from varied perspectives and communities, enabling us to attract the very best talent to our ranks, and in turn provide excellent service to our clients.
Our Continuing Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Perkins Coie is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion both within the firm and throughout our collective communities, and will continue to support and participate in efforts to make the legal profession more diverse and inclusive.
For decades, we have been intentional and consistent in our efforts to increase the diversity of our workforce and to advance the values of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Today, we are a far more diverse firm than ever before. We take pride in that diversity, and we see it as a core strength of our firm. It is key to our culture, our values, and our business strategy. It is fundamental to the way we connect with and serve our clients.
As we consider the Supreme Court decision limiting the consideration of race in university admissions, we re-affirm our commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive workplace and legal profession. Our methods for fulfilling that commitment may evolve over time as the legal landscape changes; our commitment will remain steadfast.
Objectives
- Engaging firm leadership in proactive diversity and inclusion
- Investing in the diversity pipeline
- Developing programs to address internal and external priorities
- Measuring and monitoring our progress and success
Our Structure
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is a goal shared collectively throughout the firm, which is why we have created a committee structure that allows all stakeholders to participate.
Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Established in 2006, the Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Committee (SDC) develops firmwide diversity strategies and policies which are used to guide the implementation of existing programs and the creation of new strategic diversity initiatives, with a strong focus on recruitment, retention, promotion and community.
Local Diversity Committees
We have also established Local Diversity Committees in each office that work to develop programming and initiatives designed to address the unique needs of their office and communities.
Resource groups
Resource groups are a key to the success of diversity and inclusion at the firm. Our resource groups develop educational programming, assist with business and professional development opportunities, maintain relationships with national minority bar associations and foster community. The resource groups are important sources of support, development and networking for our diverse lawyers. Below is a list of our resource groups.
Resource Groups
African American/Black Lawyers
The African American Resource Group was formed to support African American/Black Lawyers in building thriving practices, engaging in meaningful work and attaining success. The resource group strives to support African American/Black attorneys and help connect them to the tools and resources they need to reach their goals.
Asian Pacific Islander Lawyers
The Asian Pacific Islander Resource Group seeks to reinforce relationships throughout the firm, create business opportunities with clients, volunteer time in their communities and serve as leaders in their fields. Members actively discuss diversity issues and share news in the resource group’s monthly newsletter.
Latinx Lawyers
The Latinx Resource Lawyers Group’s primary vision is to serve as a meaningful resource for the firm’s Latinx attorneys on matters such as business development, firm advancement, retention, community involvement and professional development.
Lawyers with Disabilities
The Lawyers with Disabilities Resource Group’s primary goal is increasing the firm’s recruitment, retention and promotion of disabled lawyers. The group provides support for our disabled lawyers and a forum for the discussion of issues related to the community of lawyers with disabilities as a whole, including reasonable accommodation, workflow and diversity issues.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+) Lawyers
The LGBTQ+ Resource Group provides support to those who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and others who identify with gender identities and/or sexual orientations that differ from the heterosexual and cisgender majority. The group's mission is to provide fellowship and support as well as activism and education on relevant policies and current issues. In addition to participating in pro bono legal and legislative opportunities, the group provides education through firm programs and publications. The group also supports community organizations whose goals include increasing diversity and tolerance in our communities.
Native American Lawyers
The Native American Resource Group was formed to support Native American lawyers in building thriving practices, engaging in meaningful work, and attaining success. The resource group strives to help connect Native American attorneys to the tools and resources they need to reach their goals.
Parents and Caregivers
The group's mission is to provide resources, an ongoing group dialogue, and genuine support to better assist our parents and caregivers with their professional demands and personal responsibilities. The group also has the opportunity to provide feedback to firm management and advocate for parents and caregivers on issues and policies within the firm.
South Asian/Middle Eastern Lawyers
The South Asian/Middle Eastern (SAME) Lawyers Resource Group consists of attorneys with backgrounds from South Asian and Middle Eastern nations, reflecting the many different countries, cultures, and religions that comprise the diversity of South Asia and the Middle East. The SAME Resource Group provides an inclusive community for its members to discuss and address issues of note within and beyond the firm. In fostering this community, the SAME Resource Group seeks to attract, welcome, retain, and promote attorneys that identify as South Asian or Middle Eastern, create new business opportunities by building relationships among its members and their networks, and provide opportunities for its members to volunteer their time and serve as leaders within the firm and in their respective communities.
Veterans
The Veterans Resource Group seeks to create a community for, strengthen relationships among, and address issues important to firm attorneys who are current or former members of the military. The group’s goals include supporting the effective recruitment, retention, and advancement of veteran lawyers, enhancing relationships with firm clients interested in working and networking with our veteran attorneys, and pairing with national veterans groups in pro bono cases related to veterans issues.
Women’s Forum
The Perkins Coie Women’s Forum works to attract, retain, and promote women in the firm and to provide leadership and support on issues that affect the firm’s women attorneys. The current goals for the Women’s Forum are to (a) be a point of connection between the offices so that women attorneys can share ideas, concerns, programming, and achievements with each other on a regular basis; (b) be a “sounding board” and place to voice concerns as well as an avenue to reach management in order to help flag issues as they arise; (c) provide educational and informational opportunities on issues that may be pertinent to women in law and business; and (d) provide regular spotlights on our members so that we can get to know each other better.
Women of Color
The Women of Color Resource Group provides a forum in which the unique issues of importance to women attorneys of color are raised and addressed. The group facilitates dialogue with the firm regarding increasing the hiring and retention of women attorneys of color and developing systems of support and mentoring for women of color in the firm.
Awards
- Awarded Mansfield 6.0 Certification Plus for Diversity Leadership from Diversity Lab, 2022 – 2023
- Named among the "Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother/ Flex-Time Lawyers, 2008, 2009, 2011 – 2022
- Received a score of 100% in the Corporate Equality Index and designation as one of the "Best Places to Work" from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (the educational arm of the nation’s largest advocacy group for LGBT Americans), 2009 – 2022
- Ranked among ChIPs Honor Roll Firms for gender diversity in Intellectual Property practices in the 2021 Inclusion Blueprint Survey, a joint initiative between ChIPs and Diversity Lab
Partnerships and Sponsorships
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
- Corporate Counsel Women of Color
- Charting Your Own Course
- Diversity & Flexibility Alliance
- Hispanic National Bar Association
- Just the Beginning Foundation’s Summer Legal Institute
- LAMBDA Legal National Sponsorships
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- National Bar Association
- National Black Law Students Association
- LGBTQ+ Bar Association Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair
- National Native American Law Students Association
- North American South Asian Bar Association
- Out and Equal Workplace Summit
- Practicing Attorneys for Law Students Program, Inc.
For questions, please contact Diversity&Inclusion@perkinscoie.com.
Recruitment & Retention
We believe in developing relationships and investing in people. At Perkins Coie, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive community where opportunities to succeed are available to all.
Our firm culture is built on collaboration and mutual respect. Once an attorney becomes part of our community, we want them to feel welcome and prepared to participate at every level of engagement necessary for success. This is why the firm supports inclusive resource groups for women, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender attorneys, lawyers with disabilities, veterans, parents, caregivers, and lawyers of color (African American/Black, Latinx, Asian American/Pacific Islander and South Asian/Middle Eastern). In order to increase the diversity of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives within the firm, these resource groups offer opportunities for fellowship, support and networking. In addition, local office diversity committees offer programs and events that respond to the specific and unique needs of their communities, while the firm as a whole also hosts national programs and retreats aimed at providing all attorneys with the information and tools they need to succeed.
Recruitment Activities & Programs
Our recruitment efforts include building supportive relationships with organizations, hosting job fairs, and offering programs designed to educate and expose students to the legal profession.
Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Program
Overview
At Perkins Coie, we foster a diverse and inclusive community where opportunities to succeed are available to all. Embracing diversity allows us to draw from different backgrounds and experiences, enabling us to attract the best talent to our ranks, and in turn build strong teams that provide excellent service to our clients. We are committed to creating an environment in which all our people thrive because they feel a sense of belonging.
We are proud to offer our Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Program as part of our comprehensive, firmwide commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our Diversity & Inclusion Fellows are full participants in our summer associate program and must spend the first 10 weeks of their summer(s) with Perkins Coie. In addition to receiving a summer associate salary, Fellows will also receive a $15,000 stipend at the conclusion of their first-year summer. Fellows who return as 2Ls will receive a $15,000 stipend at the conclusion of their second-year summer. Fellows who accept an offer to join Perkins Coie as an associate after graduation will receive a $10,000 stipend in late May of their final year of law school.
Application Process and Criteria
All students who are in good standing in their first year at an ABA-accredited law school are eligible to apply for the Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Program. Perkins Coie is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications for the Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Program from all eligible applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity / gender expression, disability status, or any other identity.
A complete application must include:
- Current resume.
- Cover letter.
- Undergraduate and law school transcripts (unofficial versions are acceptable).
- A legal writing sample (10-page maximum).
- A personal statement (one-page, single-spaced). The personal statement should be a narrative describing your academic, professional, and life experiences and, where relevant, identifying connections between those experiences and the broader goal of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession.
We evaluate all applications for the fellowship and consider the following factors:
- Academic Achievement – A demonstrated record of academic achievement and excellent writing and interpersonal skills, as well as experience that will contribute to a successful career in the legal field.
- DEI Leadership – Engagement in efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community and/or legal profession, including during college or law school.
- Resilience – Obstacles or challenges you have encountered and overcome, how you overcame those obstacles, and what you learned from doing so.
- Perspective – Life experiences that have shaped your perspectives and professional goals.
Retention Programs and Activities
Perkins Coie recognizes the importance of retention in advancing diversity and inclusion, and we work diligently to invest in the success of our lawyers across the firm. Our retreats are an important retention tool that provide our attorneys opportunities to strengthen relationships with one another and our clients in a professional development setting.
All Women Lawyers Retreat
The retreat serves as an opportunity for participants to network with other attorneys from all levels, offices and practice groups within the firm, and to share best practices on navigating the law firm culture. The presentations and events offered at this two-day retreat provide the participants with various tools to help advance their career.
Lawyers of Color/LGBTQ+/Lawyers with Disabilities and Veterans Retreats
These retreats bring together many of the firm's attorneys to discuss, embrace, and celebrate diversity and allyship in an inviting environment. Many of the retreat’s sessions and presentations are open to attorneys of all levels, with tracks specific to the programming that coincides with where the attorney currently is in their career. This distinction allows for time focused on professional and business development skills particular to the career stage of the attorneys. In addition to the networking opportunities provided at different presentations and mixers, attendees also have the opportunity to meet other lawyers in their specific practice groups and create new and build upon existing relationships.
Perkins Coie Pledges Resources and Action to Advance Racial Equality
Our nation has begun a reckoning with the racial inequality that has existed throughout our history and continues to impact the daily lives of Black people. This reckoning began with the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others. It continues now with a broad social movement that extends across our country.
As a firm, we are committed to doing our part to end racism and to help create a more just and equal society. Our actions will build on the substantial work we are already doing to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within our firm and in our society. Today, we make these new commitments.
Financial Contributions to Promote Racial Equality
We will contribute at least $500,000 annually over the next five years to community-led as well as local and national organizations that promote racial equality through legal representation, policy advocacy, and community-based activities. We will seek out groups focused on pursuing social and economic justice that do not have ready access to other funding sources.
New Pro Bono Initiatives Focused on Racial Equality
Building on our existing pro bono program, we will establish new firmwide initiatives that address racial inequality in policing, the criminal justice system, and economic justice. We will also work with other law firms to address issues of systemic racism through the newly formed Law Firm Antiracism Alliance.
Civil Rights Legal Fellowships
We will establish a fellowship program for Perkins Coie associates, typically in their first year, to spend one year working in a civil rights organization or other organization that promotes racial equality.
Entrepreneurship Program
We will establish a program to support Black and Latinx founders and entrepreneurs to achieve greater access to capital through networking opportunities, educational resources, seminars, and alternative fee arrangements.
Supplier Diversity Program
We will accelerate and expand our Supplier Diversity Program, which we established in 2019.
Observance
Continuing the practice that we began this year, we will make Juneteenth an annual firmwide holiday to provide an opportunity for reflection, education, and service to promote racial equality.
Perkins Coie Stands
Against Antisemitism
Perkins Coie LLP stands against hate, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination in any form and against any person or group. In this statement, we specifically condemn the alarming rise in attacks against Jews, and we stand in solidarity with our Jewish colleagues, clients, and friends as we denounce antisemitism in all its forms.
The ADL and various news outlets have reported a disturbing increase in the number of reported antisemitic attacks, including assault, vandalism, and harassment. In 2020 and, so far in 2021, there have been 7,528 reported cases of extremism or antisemitism in the United States. These attacks include many against teenagers, verbal abuse of rabbis, and hate-filled images and messages on social media, among others.
As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” In a time when so much can divide us, we must resist this divisiveness and find solidarity in our humanity, uniting around shared values, and speaking out against actions that are inconsistent with those values.
To learn more and do more, please visit the websites of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Anti-Defamation League.
Perkins Coie stands with law firms across the country in signing a joint statement denouncing antisemitism.
Against Anti-Asian Racism and Hate
Perkins Coie LLP stands against hate, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination in any form and against any person, and specifically condemns the alarming rise in racially motivated incidents against Asians and Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Since the start of the pandemic, there have been more than 3,000 recorded hate incidents against Asians and AAPIs. This is merely the tip of the iceberg, however—a vast majority of incidents go unreported due to reasons such as distrust of law enforcement and cultural norms. Recent reported incidents include the following:
- In San Francisco, an 84-year old Thai American died when he was slammed to the ground.
- In New York, a 61-year old Filipino American was slashed in the face on the subway.
- In Oakland, a 91-year old Chinese American was thrown to the ground in an attempted robbery.
- In New York, a 36-year old Chinese American was stabbed in the back, sustaining critical injuries.
Unfortunately, racism against Asians and AAPIs is not new and has deep and disgraceful roots in American history. State actions such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Alien Exclusion Act of 1904, the Alien Land Law of 1913, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, racially motivated violence such as the murder of Vincent Chin in 1982, and anti-Muslim violence after 9/11 are merely a few examples of how the AAPI community has long been unfairly blamed, targeted, and punished for the country’s ills. And, the “model minority” myth and the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype of AAPIs continue to breed resentment and further divide our nation.
Simply put, the blame and the hate must stop. We stand in solidarity with the Asian and AAPI community, including our clients and colleagues, and actively ally ourselves with all communities in ending hate and racism of all forms against all communities. Through our pro bono work and community involvement, we have long been engaged in efforts to address and correct discriminatory policies and practices. Recent events remind us that there is much work to be done to build a more just and equal society. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing racial equity and equality.
Perkins Coie stands with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and others in the legal community in calling for action and promoting unity during this difficult time.
Racial Equality Grant Program
We are committed to doing our part to help end racism creating a more just and equal society. As part of our Racial Equality Commitment, Perkins Coie will contribute at least $2.5 million over the next five years to local and national organizations focused on advancing racial equality through legal representation, policy advocacy, and community-based activities.
We were inspired by many of the organizations’ efforts to promote racial equality and applaud the work they are doing in their communities. We are pleased to announce the twelve recipients of this year’s grants and invite you to learn more about each of them here.
Eligibility Requirements
Submission requirements (have these ready to upload before starting your application)
- IRS Determination Letter
- Form 990 (if applicable)
- Last three years’ Financial Statements, including current YTD Financial Statement and indicate whether they are audited.
- All prospective grantees require a board.
- All grantees must be the final destination for the grant (no redistribution).
Thank you for your interest, the Grant Application process is now closed for 2023.
2023 Recipients
Baltimore Corps, Inc.
Builds robust, equitable pipelines to enlist talent in advancing Baltimore’s most promising social innovations. Learn More
Bread for the City
Helps residents living with low income to develop their power to determine the future of their own communities. They provide food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty. Learn More
Center for African American Health
Works to improve the health and wellness of Metro Denver’s Black community by empowering community members to make informed health decisions that benefit the whole person through education, collaboration, and advocacy. Learn More
Civic Influencers
Trains and mobilizes young people on college campuses to increase youth civic power and voting, giving emphasis to Black, Indigenous, and other youths of color. Learn More
Filipino Community of Seattle
Provides affordable housing, senior services, youth development, STEM programs, arts and culture programs, and basic needs programs like food bags and warm meals. Learn More
First Generation Investors
Teaches underserved high school students the power of investing by providing students with real money to invest. Learn More
For People of Color, Inc.
Provides free, high-quality law school admissions consulting services to thousands of prospective law school applicants. Learn More
Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth
Channels the Chicago legal community’s resources to support mentoring and tutoring programs that help at-risk youth. Learn More
Project Fighting Chance
Offers boxing fitness and training, health and nutrition, mentoring, homework assistance, life skills, and multiple other services to the inner city and surrounding communities. Learn More
Rainbow Labs
Addresses the unique challenges faced by queer and gender non-conforming youth to ensure the next generation of LGBTQ+ youth find their community, peers, and safe spaces earlier on while gaining a sense of empowerment to propel them into bright futures. Learn More
Start Lighthouse
Advances childhood literacy through a social justice lens. They focus on reviving defunct library spaces within Title I schools and host immersive experiences led by BIPOC authors and illustrators that are designed to revitalize a love for reading. Learn More
The Black United Fund of Oregon
Assists in the social and economic development of Oregon’s underserved communities and contributes to a broader understanding of ethnic and culturally diverse groups. Learn More
Key Contacts
- Chair, Firmwide Management Committee; Member, Firmwide Executive Committee
- Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer