Armstrong Teasdale Named to Bloomberg Law’s 4th Annual DEI Framework

Am Law 200 firm among 57 U.S.-based firms recognized for strong commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Armstrong Teasdale is proud to announce that it has been named to Bloomberg Law’s fourth annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Framework. It is one of 57 U.S.-based law firms recognized for distinguished performance against six pillar areas of evaluation: recruitment and retention, leadership and talent pipeline, business strategy and innovation, firm demographics, diversity and inclusion + marketing, and disclosure.

“Armstrong Teasdale's commitment to DEI not only sets them apart, but also propels the entire legal field forward,” said Alex Butler, vice president, analysis and content, Bloomberg Law. “We are proud to recognize their performance by listing them in our fourth annual Bloomberg Law DEI Framework.”

The Bloomberg Law DEI Framework is the legal industry’s first and only standardized, fully transparent methodology to measure law firms’ performance in this critical arena. Submissions to this year’s DEI Framework increased by 15%, the third year in a row of double-digit growth, providing an even more robust view of diversity in the legal industry.

“As Chief Diversity Officer at Armstrong Teasdale, I am proud to announce our recognition as a leading law firm within Bloomberg Law’s 2024 DEI Framework,” said Kenneth E. Sharperson. “This achievement underscores our firm’s unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity thrives, enabling us to better serve our clients and communities."

From training and workshops to mentoring opportunities and social events, Armstrong Teasdale is committed to promoting inclusivity within the legal profession. Under Sharperson’s leadership, the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department works with firm leaders to ensure that legal professionals of all races, religions, national origins, gender identities, ethnicities, sexual orientations and physical abilities feel a sense of belonging. The firm offers opportunities for lawyers and business professionals to participate in engaging dialogue through employee resource groups and firmwide initiatives that challenge the team and help to recruit, support and retain diverse professionals. Key initiatives also include offering employee benefits such as flexible work arrangements, paid parental leave and DEI billable hours.

In the four years since Bloomberg Law launched the DEI Framework, the data shows incremental but important changes in law firm demographics:

• Overall, 44% of firms have a succession plan in place that specifically emphasizes greater inclusion of diverse / minority attorneys.
• Four in 10 firms (41%) track origination credit that diverse attorneys receive, and a quarter (27%) have a strategic plan to improve this metric.
• Nearly all firms (95%) reported having a public statement regarding their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• 65% of firms mandate that minority and women attorneys have equal access to clients, high quality work assignments, committee appointments, marketing efforts, and firm events. This metric matches the numbers from 2022 but is down slightly from 72% in 2023.

The 2024 DEI Framework included new questions regarding accessibility. The report found that just over half of firms (52%) have a website that is compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, and that 80% of firms allow employees to access basic accessibility aids such as ergonomic office equipment and screen reading software without requesting an accommodation.

More information about the 2024 Bloomberg Law DEI Framework, the methodology and a full list of members is available at https://aboutblaw.com/beIM.