Welcome to the Washington State Initiative for Diversity
The Washington State Initiative for Diversity reflects the inherent value understood by all when we meaningfully include people of diverse backgrounds into every facet of our justice system. It is designed to identify and implement strategies that will result in significant and measurable progress toward a legal profession that welcomes, encourages, and promotes diversity among lawyers in all facets of the legal profession.
The population of Washington State is diverse (see below). However, the population of lawyers and judges that comprises our state’s justice system does not accurately reflect the composition of the people affected by that system. The advances achieved by the law schools are not reflected within private law firms and other legal employers. Even when the successes of a few minority equity partners are taken into account, minority lawyers are virtually unrepresented with respect to the leadership structure of law firms, such as in hiring, promotion, management and compensation committees. While a history of underrepresentation in law schools and lack of bar candidates has contributed to the current environment, the current law school and bar candidate numbers suggest an opportunity to rectify this situation through hiring, retention, and promotion programs recognizing the importance of a diverse legal workforce.
As lawyers, we all have an obligation to our community and profession to foster inclusiveness in the legal community, and to eliminate bias in the workplace. In doing so, we more effectively serve the richly varied population of Washington and provide leadership to our communities and to other professions.
To that end, the Initiative for Diversity Governing Council (“IDGC”) was established to assist in diversifying the legal profession with respect to hiring, retention, promotion, and elevation of diverse lawyers into leadership positions. Washington’s public and private law firms, law schools, and other Washington employers of attorneys are invited to become Signatories to this Initiative and to join in a consortium with bar organizations who endorse these efforts to increase diversity in Washington’s legal profession. Signatories will commit to a diversity plan designed to result in measurable evidence of increased diversity in hiring, retention, promotion, and in elevation of diverse attorneys to leadership positions. The IDGC will make resources and tools available for those Signatories who request assistance in developing or implementing a diversity plan, and will publicly acknowledge each Signatory’s achievements toward their goals.
The 2008 population estimates from the state's Office of Financial Management reflect that Washington state’s population is estimated to be 84.5% White (5,566,607 individuals) and 15.6% non-White. The 15.6% non-White is comprised of 237,917 (3.61%) Black; 109,792 (1.66%) American Indian & Alaska Native; 470,361 (7.14%) Asian & Pacific Islander; and 202,900 (3.08%) who identify with two or more of these groups. Source: www.ofm.wa.gov/pop/race/08estimates/2008race_estimates.xls
According to the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, as of 2005, there were 266,983 gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals in Washington, which is 5.7% of the adult population. Washington has the third-highest percentage of GLB residents among the states and the tenth-largest GLB population. Washington showed a 50% increase in GLB couples from 2000 to 2005. Source: Gary J. Gates, "Same-Sex Couples and the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Population: New Estimates from the American Community Survey," October 2006.
Using data from the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, an estimated 16.0% of Washington's population ages 5 and over is disabled (921,000 individuals). Source: http://www.pascenter.org/state_based_stats/state_statistics_2005.php?state=washington.
The most recent forecast from Washington state's Office of Financial Management, estimates that as of April 2008, there will be 3,308,158 women in Washington, which is 50.13% of the total state population. Source: http://www.ofm.wa.gov/pop/stfc/stfc2007/stfc2007.pdf