Facebook requires women and ethnic minorities to make up 33% of law firms' teams
Facebook Pushes Outside Law Firms to Become More Diverse
AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.A Facebook event in Berlin. The company is requiring that women and ethnic minorities account for at least 33 percent of law firm teams working on its matters.Credit...Tobias Schwarz/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesApril 2, 2017Like other Silicon Valley giants, Facebook has faced criticism over whether its work force and board are too white and too male. Last year, the social media behemoth started a new push on diversity in hiring and retention.Now, it is extending its efforts into another corner: the outside lawyers who represent the company in legal matters.Facebook is requiring that women and ethnic minorities account for at least 33 percent of law firm teams working on its matters.Numbers alone, however, are not enough, under a policy that went in effect on Saturday. Law firms must also show that they “actively identify and create clear and measurable leadership opportunities for women and minorities” when they represent the company in litigation and other legal matters.Those opportunities “include serving as relationship managers and representing Facebook in the courtroom,” Facebook’s general counsel, Colin Stretch, said in an interview. The legal department, he said, has for the last few years been working on increasing diversity at all levels.“Firms typically do what their clients want,” he said. “And we want to see them win our cases and create opportunities for women and people of color. We think the firms are ready — our articulation gives not just permission but a mandate.”Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT