Recruiting
Schiff Hardin has been known for many years for its commitment to diversity in hiring.
Schiff Hardin is a member firm of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms.
We are a signatory to the "Policy Statement Regarding the Hiring and Retention of Minority Lawyers" issued jointly by the Chicago Bar Association, the Cook County Bar Association, the Asian Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, and the Hispanic National Bar Association.
We have long supported the goal of the Statement — to achieve participation at all professional levels of lawyers who are members of minority groups.
Recruitment Strategies and Practices
Over the past several years, Schiff Hardin has modified its recruiting practices to increase the number of minority candidates interviewed during the recruitment process. These changes include expanding the number of law schools at which we interview and increasing our participation in and sponsorship of job fairs, such as the Cook County Minority Job Fair, that focus on minority law students.
We are proud of the gains we've made.
- Our percentage of minority associates has more than doubled to 20% from 2001 to 2007.
- Of the law students in our 2008 summer program, 61% are women and 36% are minorities.
- In the last year, we have increased by 33% the number of minority partners in our Chicago office.
- Women now account for 46% of our associates and 21% of our partners.
