Vivia Chen
The American Lawyer
In his famous dissent in Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Texas’s same-sex sodomy law, Antonin Scalia railed against the legal profession for embracing the “anti-antihomosexual culture.” Well, Scalia got that right.
Not only are the nation’s elite law firms not anti-gay, they are putting out the lavender welcome mat. Perks that seemed radical just 10 years ago are now standard fare at Am Law 200 firms: health care benefits for domestic partners, nondiscrimination pledges and sponsorship of gay organizations. Firms are also stampeding to recruit candidates at gay job fairs. And according to a survey by gay rights organization Human Rights Campaign, the legal profession ranks high in gay-friendliness when compared to other industries.
All that good news makes the recent lawsuit against Sullivan & Cromwell for sexual orientation discrimination especially ironic. With 11 gay partners, S&C has become a mecca for gay lawyers. Though S&C’s numbers are striking — particularly for a Wall Street firm — we found progress across the board. Cravath, Swaine & Moore, arguably the most elite of elite New York firms, now counts five open gays in its club of 87 partners. (more…)
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