Microsoft Advocates Diversity in the Legal Profession; Grants $250,000 to LCLD

Microsoft Corporation enjoins young lawyers to seek better training and calls for greater diversity in the legal profession.

Last week, Brad Smith, the general counsel of Microsoft, spoke at the annual National Association for Law Placement conference in Seattle. "Go where you think you’ll get good training in the first four years. If you don’t get good training in the first four years, you will dig yourself into a deep hole," he said to young lawyers in attendance.

Smith also pointed to the several ways by which Microsoft has attempted to enhance opportunities for young law firm associates, among which is the Microsoft Advocacy Clinic, which offers promising first-, second- and third-years from law firms that represent Microsoft a chance to work together on projects, according to the article.

In a related news, it was reported that Microsoft has contributed $250,000 to the Legal Counsel for Legal Diversity to support strategic initiatives to diversify leadership and development opportunities across the legal profession.

LCLD is composed of the Managing Partners of the nation’s leading law firms and the General Counsel of Fortune 500 corporations.

The article quoted Brad Smith, Chair of the LCLD board of directors and General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Microsoft Corporation, “Unless the legal profession makes faster progress, it will miss out on the dynamism and creativity that diversity brings. We need a legal profession that is as diverse as the country we serve.” Read more here