Rev. Al Sharpton and Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Expose Skadden's Disingenuous Claims on Diversity Through Print Advertisement

Following the announcement of the law firm’s partner class of 2022, groups demand Skadden authenticate diversity declarations

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware (CPBD) is again urging Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP to pull back their boastful claims of diversity and inclusion through a full-page print ad in the Dover Post, as their most recent partner class mostly excludes historically marginalized communities.

While a glance at Skadden’s partner class of 2022 may appear to be diverse, a closer look into the law firms’ diversity claims and numbers tells a grotesquely different story. Skadden has prominently displayed its admiration for diversity, claiming that “diversity, equity, and inclusion” are fundamental to their success and even promoting that they are “among the firms with the highest representation of Black attorneys.” Out of Skadden’s 114 partners, just two are African American, and out of 11 partners in Skadden’s Wilmington office, zero are African-American. Their partner class shows a comprehensive lack of representation among African Americans, American Indian and Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic persons. Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton has demanded that Skadden ensure that judges and lawyers in our courts reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the communities they represent.

Said Reverend Al Sharpton, “Skadden Arps claims that ‘diversity and inclusion are fundamental to Skadden’s success as a global law firm,’ but the firm’s stunningly low levels of diversity tell a different story. How can we achieve an equitable justice system if people of color aren’t afforded the opportunity to work at the most prestigious law firms? How can we expect the judges in our courts to reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the communities they represent if they do not gain the experience needed to rise to those positions?”