Frequently Asked Questions: DEI Leadership Seal Program

Overview and application

What is the State Bar DEI Leadership Seal program?

The DEI Leadership Seal Program is an optional program that employers with California attorneys can participate in to signal their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 

As part of its 2022 Diversity Report Card, the State Bar of California published Calls to Action that legal employers and attorneys can implement to support greater DEI in the workplace. The DEI Leadership Seal program recognizes California legal employers that commit to and implement specific DEI action items.

How do I apply for participation in the DEI Leadership Seal program?

To be considered for participation, please complete the DEI Leadership Seal Application form and provide the required supporting documentation.

What does my organization have to do to participate?

An employer may participate in the program as either a committed participating employer or a seal recipient. To be recognized as a committed participating employer, an employer must commit to implementing at least five of the ten Action Items. Committed participating employers will have one year to implement the selected Action Items. The one-year implementation window starts when an employer’s application is approved. Once an employer implements at least five of the ten Action Items, it may be deemed a seal recipient. 

Committed participating employers will be listed on the State Bar website. DEI Leadership Seal recipients will also be listed on the State Bar website and receive a seal that they can use on their web and print materials to signal their participation in the program to employees, job candidates, clients, and more.

What if my employer has already implemented at least five of the ten Action Items? Do I need to wait a year to receive the DEI Leadership Seal?

If your organization has already implemented five of the ten Action Items (including the two that are required) at the time of application, please indicate that on your application and provide the requested documentation. If your employer’s implementation of the Action Items is sufficient, you can receive the DEI Leadership Seal as soon as your application is reviewed.

Are there different implementation or recognition levels in the DEI Leadership Seal program?

The DEI Leadership Seal program recognizes bronze, silver, and gold seal recipients, based on the number of Action Items implemented. 

• Employers that implement five Action Items are eligible to be recognized as bronze-tier recipients. 

• Employers that implement seven Action Items are eligible to be recognized as silver-tier recipients. 

• Employers that implement nine Action Items are eligible to be recognized as gold-tier recipients. 

All participating employers, regardless of tier, must commit to implementing the first two Action Items and then select from the remaining eight.

My employer is a committed participating employer. By when must the Action Items be implemented?

Committed employers should use the Tier Advancement form to identify and document which Action Items have been implemented. Tier Advancement forms are accepted on a rolling basis. Tier Advancement form due dates will be posted on our website.

Eligibility and employer requirements 

What types of employers are eligible to apply for the DEI Leadership Seal?

Employers, regardless of sector, that employ California-licensed attorneys are eligible to participate in the DEI Leadership Seal Program. This includes, but is not limited to, law firms of all sizes, in-house legal departments, legal academia, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies with attorney staff.

Can employers with offices both in and out of California (such as national or international law firms) participate in the program?

Yes. Employers may choose to commit to and implement the Action Items for either their entire firm or only their California offices. If an employer commits to and implements the Action Items for specific offices, only those offices would be listed as participating employers and eligible to use the DEI Leadership Seal on their materials.

Can legal departments or teams within a larger employer (like a corporation’s legal department, or a university’s law school) participate in the program?

Yes. Employers may choose to commit to and implement the Action Items for either their entire organization or only their legal department or team. If an employer commits to and implements the Action Items only for their legal department, only that department would be listed as a participating employer and eligible to use the DEI Leadership Seal on its materials.

Can solo practitioners participate in the program?

Unfortunately, currently, the program is not well-suited for or targeted to solo practitioners because the Action Items focus on improving diversity, equity, and inclusion among attorneys and staff of multiple people. The State Bar will consider opportunities for solo practitioners to engage in its DEI work in other ways and encourages feedback on how best to do so.

Is participation in the DEI Leadership Seal Program required for employers with California attorneys?

No. The DEI Leadership Seal Program is voluntary.

Action items and implementation 

Where did the list of Action Items come from?

The Action Items were derived, in part, from the Calls to Action in the State Bar’s 2022 Diversity Report Card and based on research on best practices to improve workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as feedback from various stakeholders across a variety of sectors in the legal profession. The Calls to Action, available by sector, provide additional best practices and resources. Calls to Action for attorneys are also available to encourage individuals to take an active role in advancing DEI in the workplace.

When will my employer receive the DEI Leadership Seal?

The program will have annual application windows for participating employers to indicate their commitment to, or implementation of, five of the ten Action Items. These dates will be posted on our website. Please allow approximately two months for State Bar staff to review and respond to applications.

Committed participating employers will then have up to one year to implement the Action Items before being recognized as seal recipients and receiving the DEI Leadership Seal to use on their own materials. For example, committed participating employers who applied in 2026 must demonstrate implementation of five of the ten Action Items by spring 2027 to receive the DEI Leadership Seal.

Does the State Bar have any guidance on how to implement the Action Items?

The State Bar has created a Resource Guide that provides tips and best practices to consider when implementing the Action Items. The guide is intended to be one tool to help organizations develop and achieve their DEI goals and is not intended to provide step-by-step instructions.

My employer is already a seal recipient. What documentation is required to remain in the program?

DEI Leadership Seal recipients must submit an annual attestation form to confirm that they continue to have at least five of the ten Action Items implemented. Current seal recipients must submit the DEI Leadership Seal Attestation form annually.

Continuing program participation

My employer is already a seal recipient, but we have implemented more Action Items and want to move up to a higher tier. What are the next steps? What documentation is required?

DEI Leadership Seal recipients who want to advance tiers must complete and submit a DEI Leadership Seal Tier Advancement Application and supporting documentation. The State Bar will provide several opportunities throughout the year for seal recipients to submit this documentation and advance tiers. Seal recipients that want to advance tiers must still submit an attestation form to affirm implementation of the Action Items for which their materials have already been reviewed and approved.

My employer is a committed participating employer, but we have implemented at least five of the Action Items. Do we need to wait until June to receive the DEI Leadership Seal?

Committed participating employers who have implemented five or more Action Items and want to receive the DEI Leadership Seal before the June deadline must complete and submit a DEI Leadership Seal Tier Advancement Application and supporting documentation. There will be several opportunities throughout the year for committed employers to submit this documentation and receive the seal early. To be considered for tier advancement, please submit your application and supporting documentation.

How can my employer use the DEI Leadership Seal?

DEI Leadership Seal recipients can use the seal on their website and print materials, including on their career website and job postings, promotional materials to clients, email signatures, and more.

What benefits are available to participating employers?

Participating employers and seal recipients will be listed on the State Bar website. The State Bar plans to provide opportunities for participating employers to convene and discuss their DEI efforts, for example, at future Diversity Summits. The State Bar regularly hosts Diversity Summits to convene stakeholders to present and discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices in the legal profession. 

The State Bar is also exploring additional benefits and opportunities it can provide to or facilitate for participating employers and seal recipients. These might include opportunities to participate in social media campaigns about the program, preferred job boards, and career fairs.

Program benefits 

What is the goal of the DEI Leadership Seal Program?

In support of the mission to “support... efforts for greater access, and inclusion in, the legal system,” the State Bar aims to encourage and incentivize legal employers to take action to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations. Similarly, promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal system is a key priority of the State Bar’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan. A more diverse, accessible, and inclusive legal workplace improves the experience of employees and their clients. A legal profession that better reflects the diversity of California’s communities can improve public access to, and fair treatment in, the legal system.

Why is the State Bar administering this program?

The State Bar’s mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system. Additionally, the State Bar of California’s strategic goals include “promot[ing] diversity and inclusion in the legal system.”

The State Bar and DEI

Is the State Bar, as an employer, participating in the program?

Yes. The State Bar earned the gold tier DEI Leadership Seal in January 2024. The State Bar recruited three impartial external reviewers to review and score the State Bar’s application and submitted materials.