Perkins Coie Recognized by Intel as Most Diverse Law Firm

SEATTLE (July 13, 2021)—For the second consecutive year, Perkins Coie is honored to be recognized by Intel Corporation as the global technology company's most diverse outside law firm. Intel's annual recognition is aimed at promoting diversity among its outside law firms that work on the company's legal matters, and it measures the diversity of the lawyers who have served Intel.

"Intel has been a leader in seeking to improve diversity and inclusion within its own workforce, and in ensuring that its outside law firms reflect the diversity and inclusion of our wider society," said Bill Malley, Perkins Coie's firmwide managing partner. "Diversity and inclusion are core principles for our firm. We share Intel's commitment to improvement of the diversity of our firm and the profession and are honored to once again be recognized by Intel for our progress. We know that diversity and inclusion in the profession is not only a moral imperative, but also that more diverse teams deliver better legal solutions and outcomes for our clients."

Perkins Coie has made significant progress over the past decade toward building a diverse and inclusive culture. The firm's 2021 partner class was its most diverse ever at 77% diverse overall, including 61% women and 38% lawyers of color, while its 2020 lateral hires were 71% diverse, representing 39% women and 54% lawyers of color, lawyers with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ+ combined.

In addition to improving the diversity of its lawyers, Perkins Coie has committed to donating $2.5 million dollars over the next five years to groups that promote racial equality through legal representation, policy advocacy, and community-based activities. The firm is also taking on pro bono initiatives that address inequality in policing, the criminal justice system, and economic justice—efforts that last year contributed to the firm achieving the highest number of pro bono hours in its history.

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 accelerate this change, beginning in January 2021, Intel implemented the Intel Rule, under which it 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 are women and at least 10% of the firm's U.S. equity partners are underrepresented minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, or LGBTQ+.