DEI Leadership Seal Program banner 
The DEI Leadership Seal recognizes legal employers with California attorneys that commit to and implement research-driven actions that further workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The seal is available to all legal employers with California-licensed attorneys, including law firms of all sizes, in-house legal departments, legal academia, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies with attorney staff.

Background

A core component of the State Bar’s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion in the legal system and legal profession. Having a diverse legal profession positively impacts the administration of justice, ensures fairness, and promotes the rule of law.

As part of its 2022 Diversity Report Card, the State Bar published Calls to Action that legal employers and attorneys can implement to support greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. With a goal to encourage public commitments to advance DEI in the legal profession, the State Bar has launched the DEI Leadership Seal program.

Earning the DEI Leadership Seal

Participating organizations could include an entire organization–such as a nonprofit legal aid provider or a local law firm–or a smaller unit or department within an organization–such as the in-house legal department of a corporation. A nationwide law firm can choose to implement the Action Items and therefore receive the DEI Leadership Seal, for their entire firm or for only their California office(s).

Organizations that commit to pursuing at least 5 of the 10 Action Items listed below will be recognized as participating employers and listed on this website.

Action Items: 1. Collect and maintain demographic data 2.Create a strategic DEI plan 3. Calculate staff turnover and promotions 4. Compare California attorney hire demographics to California attorney population 5. Create and share publicly a DEI statement 6.Conduct staff stay and exit interviews 7. Survey staff to gather feedback on DEI efforts 8. Require annual employee implicit bias training 9.Incorporate DEI work into performance, advancement, and compensation decisions 10.Integrate DEI responsibilities into leadership team members’ job duties. Larger organizations, maintain a DEI professional position

 Participating employers will have one year after applying to the program to implement the Action Items. Once an organization implements the Action Items, it will be recognized as a DEI Leadership Seal recipient. Seal recipients will be recognized in the following tiers:

  • Gold tier: Organizations that implement nine Action Items
  • Silver tier: Organizations that implement seven Action Items
  • Bronze tier: Organizations that implement five Action Items

DEI Leadership Seal recipients may use the seal on their own website and materials to signal their participation and recognition. 

In future years, DEI Leadership Seal Action Items will change to encourage employers to commit to additional, more ambitious steps toward diversity, equity, and inclusion to continue participating in the program.

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The State Bar Is Going for Gold! 

As an employer, the State Bar will also apply for the DEI Leadership Seal with the goal to obtain gold tier status. We are excited to share our progress on this journey—stay tuned for more!

View the State Bar's action items.

To apply

Applications for the first cohort closed on March 31, 2023. If you are interested in applying for a future DEI Leadership Seal cohort, or, if you have any feedback or questions on the State Bar's DEI Leadership Seal program, please email us at DEILeadershipSeal@calbar.ca.gov.

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