My #PracticeTuesday advice might be a little off topic, but for bipoc students who /have offers/ and are trying to pick between big law firms and not sure how to evaluate firms and their diversity metrics, here are things I wish I had thought to do (and things I did).

Firms have the ability to really tailor the experience you get during interviews because of zoom (even more so than they did in person). They vet the people who interview you, so it’s important to talk to people beyond just the ones recruiters put in front of you.

Reach out to other bipoc attorneys at the firm, set up phone calls, and ask tough questions! Ask them if they feel supported, if they’re the only bipoc person in their practice group, if they have bipoc mentors, if they have a sponsor, how much diversity work they’re asked to do.

Ask if them if they’ve brought up issues to the firms leadership or recruiters. Were people receptive? Did they get shut down? Did they get some lip service about unconscious bias trainings. I know from experience that you can find firms that will listen and adapt.

Ask them about affinity groups. Is there a wider one for all bipoc, for women, for woc, are there specific ones for different races/ethnicities. How often do they meet? Are these events well attended? Are they mostly attended by white people?

Scroll through the website for your specific office. How many partners of color are there? Women? Did they promote more partners of color this year? Compare recent classes of attorneys at the firm with the class of 2015 and 2010 - are they getting better? Compare across firms.

If you’re interested in a specific practice group, really care about the demographics of that group. Make sure you can actually practice in that group when you join, chat with the head partner, with a mid level associate, and a newer hire. Would you fit in with them?

Reach out to a bipoc attorney who recently left the firm (preferably one you might have some other connection with - school/hometown/interests). Ask them about their experience.

Ask someone who works in that market, but not at the firm, if you have a relationship with them.

Look at their pro bono work! Are they willing to take on cases that might seem controversial? Not all firms will take on abortion or police brutality cases. Would they be willing to support the causes that matter to you?

Ask the recruiter about the summer class of 2019 and 2020. How many were bipoc? Woc? How many accepted return offers?

Make sure you’re speaking to people at the same office you have an offer with, culture can vary widely.

Oh and ask about their bar packages and if they support students who are clerking. Some firms give salary advances that have to be paid back, while others offer stipends that don’t, so long as you work for a certain amount of time/meet certain conditions.

And finally trust your gut. Something can seem like a good fit on paper, but just not be right for you. That’s okay! You’re the one who has to work at the firm, not vault or AmLaw 100 or your school’s career office.

This is a lot. I know. You don’t have to do all of this. And there are probably other things you can do that I haven’t thought of. But if you care about being in a place that values you as a whole person (as much as big law values anyone), it’s helpful to know /before/ you commit

Oh and finally for real. Don’t stress this too much. (Cough, tbh I was a mess the day I decided). You can always change your mind after your summer. It’s not easy, but no one can make you go back to a place you don’t like. You always have options!