Equity

“In the Halls of Justice, the only justice is in the halls.”
Lenny Bruce
In the past, various industries and fields have witnessed a major push for the concept of equality. As a concept, equality is quite different from the idea of equity.
Proponents of equality argued that there was a lot of workplace discrimination and demanded that every employee be given the same resources and opportunities.
However, over time, it became clear that equality wouldn’t be enough, which is when the concept of equity came into play. Equity advocates recognize and acknowledge that different groups of people face different circumstances and challenges. This means that simply offering equal opportunities isn’t going to be enough.
Equity means each individual must get the exact resources they need to achieve equal outcomes with their peers. Equity recognizes that the effects of discrimination and disadvantages go far deeper than most people are willing to admit.
Examples of challenges faced by women practicing lawSome of the most prominent challenges faced by women practicing law are:
#: The tight trope problemWomen have to balance between being too aggressive and being too feminine. When they are too aggressive, they receive backlash for being masculine; if they are too feminine, they are perceived as pushovers.
#: The maternal aspect of thingsWhen women take maternity leave, they are denied promotional and work opportunities not denied to men.
#: Compensation biasEven when they are on the same level as their male counterparts, women are still perceived as doing a different amount of work than their colleagues, so they receive lower financial compensation.
#: Unconscious biasFemale lawyers in courtrooms have been mistaken for reporters and other non-legal duties because people still don’t expect them to be practicing lawyers.
#: InterruptionsAccording to Harvard Business Review, female Supreme Court justices were interrupted three times more than their male counterparts. This shows that discrimination reaches even the highest court in the land. This happens to female lawyers as well.
Examples of challenges faced by racial minorities practicing lawBelow are some of the most common challenges faced by racial minorities practicing law:
#: Perception of not being good enoughMany minorities still experience a lack of confidence in both their law firms and their clients. This impacts their overall confidence performance.
#: Punishment for speaking out against injusticeWhen minorities speak out against injustice at law firms, they are perceived as “trouble makers” and thus blacklisted against future promotional opportunities.
#: Prove it again biasWomen of color report being asked to prove that they are actually competent at their jobs. This interferes with their efficiency
How law firms can promote equityLaw firms can promote equity by implementing ideas like…
#: Offering more promotions to womenAfter the worst part of the COVID-19 crisis had passed between January 2020 and January 2022, it was observed that nearly all male workers in the legal profession regained their jobs, but women didn’t return to the workforce at the same rates.
Women didn’t return because they faced burnout at work and weren’t getting enough promotional opportunities. Although more women are graduating from law schools than men, the number of female partners in firms has not exceeded its approximate range of 20%. Women also report disproportionate burnout due to balancing familial responsibilities at home.
Women should receive more promotional opportunities, but cultural forms of discrimination still burden them, impacting their work performance.
#: Creating mentorship programs targeting womenSheryl Sandberg’s MENTOR HER program was created to encourage people to offer greater mentorship opportunities to women so they can learn how to get to the top of corporate America.
#: Recognize holidays meant to recognize minoritiesBlack history month and pride month should be used as moments of reflection to determine how much progress has been made in a law firm to promote equity amongst the various disadvantaged groups.
#: Offer minorities greater opportunities to have their voices heardMinorities face unique challenges in the workplace and should get a greater voice to make their views and feeling known.
#: Hire diversity officersDiversity officers have one job: find highly skilled individuals to help the firm achieve its goals while recognizing the need for a more diverse work environment.   
#: Promoting equity in the worldLawyers also have the power to promote equity in the world through the cases they take. Cases against injustice perpetrated against women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are a great way to promote greater fairness and justice in the world. 

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