Wal-mart Demands Diversity in Law Firms

Fulton County Daily Report via Law.Com ^ | July 6, 2005 | Meredith Hobbs

[Wombat101]

I wonder if all the firms currently suing Wal-Mart over diversity- and discrimination-related issues have the same problem? Perhaps? Would be pretty hypocritical for a firm suing on behalf of aggrieved victims of alleged discrimination to not have people of color on their boards of directors, wouldn't it?

[Moonman62]

You know, I have nothing against Wal-Mart being a business. . .that is what they are good at., . .but this social engineering and bean-counting nonsense is darned dumb on their part.

Most times big business is just as bad as big government. This is one of those times. Walmart got to be a great company by using technology and economy of scale to lower costs and then pass the savings to the customer. These days they are filling their aisles with no-name crap to squeeze margins. If Walmart gets worse legal services, they'll have to pass the costs on. That's no way to do business, but they'll have noone to blame but themselves.

[SauronOfMordor]

Walmart is far from the first big company to do this. Others long ago had firms filling out paperwork listing women and minorities. Sadly this is all nonsense for publicity sake.

A few years back, I had a job doing software to do statistical analysis of risk/return of minority-run mutual funds. The firm that wanted it done did consulting work for municipal pension funds that had a mandate to put a certain percentage of their money in the care of women/minority-owned firms

I don't remember the exact numbers I found, but there was a SIGNIFICANTLY worse rate of return from minority-run fund managers.

[Cowboy Bob]

"At meetings with firms I'll ask, 'Why are there just white males here?'

Why aren't there more women and minorities at NASA's Mission Control. Why don't more women and minorities win the Nobel prizes for Science and Economics?

[AnAmericanMother]

Bingo.

And WalMart will wind up paying handsomely for its demands, because the law firms will (very rightly) feel that they can bill this additional cost of doing business to the client - since the client demanded it.

I see some very creative hourly billing on the horizon.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"I'm sorry, but who in the hell does Wal-Mart think they are DEMANDING diversity from ANY profession?"

The customer.

"Oh, and what is Wal-Mart going to do to law firms that don't comply with their DEMANDS?"

Not hire them.

Part of the problem here is that Wal-Mart does get sued in regions with large minority populations and large numbers of women in the jury pool, and the plaintiff counsel will frequently use an implicit "Wal-Mart's just a bunch of white men looking to oppress you" argument to sway the jury. Having a legal team that is 100% white male does not help.

[Theodore R.]

I have also heard that a white disabled person applying for Social Security disability payments is more likely to gain benefits if he has a "minority" attorney.

[ExcelJockey]

Yet one more reason that "Lao gai" Mart can stick it up their a**. I can't believe the people here that cheer them on.

[ran15]

bahahaa the lefties forced Walmart to put in diversity with lawsuits flying. Now Walmart forces it on them! Almost every lawyers I see high up is white and male.

[ladyjane]

This is great news!

The lawyers have been the ones dragging everybody else into court. Now they're hoist on their own petard! LOL

[Williams]

I'm not a Walmart basher but Walmart has been in so much trouble for not looking out for the little guy, but suddenly they want to enforce diversity within the law firms taht defend walmart from every slip and fall, pro union, sex age and race discrimination claim, etc. How about paying more money to minority employees? The lawyers are rich.

[Alia]

bookmark

[festus]

Heard inside outside counsel offices :

Quick Ethel hire me some black people and some hispanic and some illegal aliens and some .......

[commonasdirt]

Great move WalMart....I award you 10 Jesse Jackson rainbow points (sarcasm)

[Alia]

bookmark

[Smartaleck]

"Words fail me. This is just completely insane. No more shopping at Wal-Mart."

Not so fast. The left and supporters of the left like Costco's is continually bashing WalMart. I think WM is retaliating by saying "if that's the way it's going to be you're going to take some of you're own medicine."

Make the trial lawyers comply with their own self rightous BS.

[Chances Are]

If it was good enough for Shakespeare, it ought to be good enough for you.

CA....

[demkicker]

Part of the problem here is that Wal-Mart does get sued in regions with large minority populations and large numbers of women in the jury pool, and the plaintiff counsel will frequently use an implicit "Wal-Mart's just a bunch of white men looking to oppress you" argument to sway the jury. Having a legal team that is 100% white male does not help.

Well, from the little scenario that you painted, it looks like Wal-Mart better take care of their own backyard before they start barking in others! No one is stopping Wal-Mart from choosing racially diversified law firms to represent them, so why don't they just shut the hell up and take care of their own business?

[NewLand]

fyi ping...

[demkicker]

They're free to set up artificial quotas if they like. I just hope they don't bitch when they get substandard representation because they were only looking at skin color and reproductive organs instead of SKILL.

Very well said!