Perkins Coie Recognized by Intel as Global Technology Leader’s Most Diverse Law Firm for Third Consecutive Year

SEATTLE (September 21, 2022)—Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by Intel Corporation as the global technology company's most diverse outside law firm for the third straight year. Intel's annual recognition is aimed at improving diversity among the outside law firms that work on the company's legal matters and measures the diversity of the lawyers who serve Intel.

"Intel has shown clear leadership in working to improve diversity and inclusion across its workforce and in ensuring that this commitment is reflected by its outside law firms," said Bill Malley, Perkins Coie's firmwide managing partner. "Like Intel, we know that continued progress in diversity and inclusion is vital to innovation, talent development, and delivering better results for our clients. We are honored to be recognized by Intel for our ongoing work in these areas."

Perkins Coie is making notable progress toward building a more diverse and inclusive culture. The firm's 2022 partner class was 64% diverse, inclusive of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+, and the incoming associate class is 83% diverse.

In addition to working to improve diversity and inclusion within the legal industry, Perkins Coie has launched a number of initiatives to promote wider business diversity and racial equality in our communities.

In 2021, Perkins Coie launched the Black Boardroom Initiative to increase the representation of Black or African American executives on S&P 500 corporate boards. This week, the firm announced the first nine recipients of its $2.5 million Racial Equality Grant Program, which provides financial support to organizations focused on advancing racial equality through legal representation, policy advocacy, and community-based activities. Firm attorneys also continue to work on a wide range of pro bono initiatives that address inequality in policing, the criminal justice system, and economic justice.

Intel has committed not only to driving greater diversity and inclusion across its own global workforce and to transparency of its efforts but also to improving diversity in the legal industry. To help drive this change, in January 2021 Intel implemented the Intel Rule. Under this rule, Intel pledged not to use or retain outside law firms in the United States that had not achieved above-average gender or racial diversity among its partners. Under the Intel Rule, U.S. law firms need to meet minimum diversity criteria in their equity partnerships: at least 21% of the firm's U.S. equity partners must be women and at least 10% of the firm's U.S. equity partners must be underrepresented minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, or LGBTQ+.