Exploring Black-Owned Law Firms
The importance of black-owned law firms in New York cannot be overstated. These firms are not only critical to the functioning of the New York legal landscape, but also to the ongoing development of the equitable legal system envisioned by our forebears and demanded by our own generation. Black-owned law firms promote diversity in a field in which, despite the improvements of recent years, people of color remain tragically underrepresented. On a more individual level, black-owned firms provide culturally competent representation to their clients, giving them an invulnerable edge when representing minority communities in New York.
The role that black-owned firms play in promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and representation cannot be denied. A recent study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that Asian Americans accounted for 13% of lawyers and judges in the U.S., while Hispanic and black Americans together accounted for slightly less than 7%. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey puts these numbers into a more contemporary light. When asked about "legal occupations," the survey found that only 2.5% of the respondents were black, down from 3.0% just a year earlier. In New York City, as pointed out by the New York State Supreme Court’s Harlan Report, while people of color trail only white people as state citizens, their representation in the field of law is markedly skewed in favor of white citizens. The reality of this situation cannot be overstated, especially in a city where a majority of the population belongs to a minority group.
No matter the color of the attorney, law is a profession that may require familiarity with the culture of a given community . Contracts, if nothing else, are frequently written in a language distinct from the vernacular. Avoiding cultural faux pas requires not only knowledge, but also understanding and intuition. Furthermore, in the context of businesses in particular, the handling of a case may require an appreciation for the nuances of a business’s mission statement, as well as the unique difficulties that they may face. Only firms that are attuned to such challenges can successfully represent business clients.
Despite the need for representation and the advantages that such firms offer, there remain far too few black-owned law firms among the ranks of New York-based law firms. In fact, a survey of the firms that are listed in an authoritative directory and other similar sources reveals the scarcity of black-owned firms: over 700 entries, and not a single one represents a black-owned or predominately African American firm. This data is incongruent with the experiences of many members of the community, further emphasizing the unmet need within the marketplace.
The ending of this disparity is needed now more than ever. In 1968, members of the New York bar found that while law firms in New York had virtually always been organized along ethnic lines, traditionally white-owned law firms tended to be indistinguishable from one another. If diversity within these firms were to develop, they would have no choice but to change in order to compete among themselves. Almost 60 years later, there remain but a small handful of black-owned law firms. It is imperative that we create a more diverse profession. In order to accomplish this, we must break the cycle that has left us where we were 50 years ago. Until there is a critical mass – many more than one – black-owned law firms, change will not occur.
Overview of Major Black-Owned Law Firms
Within the history of the legal landscape in New York, there are a number of prominent black-owned law firms that have not only championed the cause of their clients and communities but also set a precedent for the representation and business of law on a larger scale. By examining the impact of these firms through the lens of their founders, areas of practice, and public perception, we can gain a deeper insight into the legacy of these influential powerhouses.
One of the most notable black-owned law firms in New York is The Cochran Firm, founded by Johnnie Cochran Jr. in 1977. From its inception, the firm has represented high-profile clients—including celebrities, athletes, and civil rights leaders—while simultaneously taking on local communities and advancing critical social justice initiatives. Today, The Cochran Firm specializes in numerous areas, including personal injury, civil rights law, and employment discrimination.
Another prominent firm is McGann, Garrison, and Hedges, which was founded in 1984 by attorneys Gregory McGann and Dekila Hedges. This firm focuses primarily on intellectual property law and has developed a strong practice in copyright, patent, and trademark litigation. Both McGann and Hedges share a commitment to providing high-quality, accessible legal services to their clients, and the firm now has offices in California and Georgia in addition to its New York City base.
A newer firm, Beldock Levin & Hoffman LLP, was established in 2017 by Robert Beldock, Jerry Levin, and Robert Hoffman. The firm focuses on political law and voting rights litigation; even though the firm is relatively new, they’ve already made a significant impact. It was this firm that recently filed and won an electoral case that confirmed that the person who collects signatures for a political candidacy can serve as a witness to his or her own designating petition. This victory sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape of New York and will be used as a precedent for a while to come.
The Value of Diverse Representation in the Legal Field
The importance of representation in the legal field cannot be overstated. Diversity and inclusion are sorely lacking at many levels of our society. Black Owned Law Firms near you are invaluable to the advancement of people of color. Having representation that reflects the population as a whole sends a message to communities, both formal and informal, that everyone has a place in the national dialogue. While recent years have shown the simultaneous advancements made for members of the BIPOC community and the resistance to that advancement, the voice of allies can make a difference. When those allies are organizations or causes that directly impact the most at-risk BIPOC, such as a Black Owned Law Firm, it means these people see themselves reflected in those who would advocate for them. The importance of representation in the law is just as necessary as any other field of work. Pursuing justice is a worthy cause, but there are differences in how that justice can be delivered. Legal advocacy is an important service that serves as a voice for the people who might not have the tools to deliver their message. Public defenders, legal aid, and representation for marginalized groups allows those voices to be heard and respected. These services can come at both the national and private sector levels and having enough diversity at both can make a tremendous difference. Black Owned Law Firms across the country and New York are changing the face of the law as they recruit, train, retain, and promote the most promising new talent in the legal profession. Advocates of change at every level make a difference in the lives of the communities they serve.
Obstacles for Black-Owned Law Firms
For black-owned law firms in New York, there are unique challenges that they must face within the industry, and many of these barriers are not present for other firms. These challenges include things like the ability to build relationships, places within their field, and limited resources when compared to larger firms. The lack of resources is inherently tied to the fact that these law firms are smaller than many others, but even larger organizations and businesses tend to have limited or no resources set aside for black-owned businesses. This is particularly true within the legal field, as the rate of black partners and black firm ownership has not significantly changed over the past 15 years.
Although the lack of an "equitable solution" in academia and STEM-related fields has been well-documented, it’s relatively less known that there’s a "leaky pipeline" in the legal field. This means that, despite graduating from law school consistently every year between 1973 and 2003, black attorneys saw a decrease in private practice with limited equity, as well as a decrease in minority partners and associates . This is why the number of minority partners has been increasing at a lower rate than in other careers. As the UCLA Law Review states: "The continuation of the leaky-pipeline phenomenon demands that we increase the number of women and minorities entering the legal field and give them better opportunities to succeed once they are there."
Black-owned law firms don’t only need to be able to operate efficiently to compete with bigger firms. They also require larger social networks in order to bring in clients and establish a reputation within the industry. Access to more money and power is essentially never given to black-owned businesses, and as such, it’s much more difficult for these businesses to obtain help through those channels.
Finally, many black-owned businesses don’t have the same level of access to clients or the marketplace as their larger partners. Large law firms, for example, may service larger companies whereas smaller firms simply do not have the capacity to work on large clients.
How to Support Black-Owned Law Firms
The path to supporting Black-owned law firms in New York isn’t just crucial to fostering equality in the justice system; it’s also simple. As an individual or business, you can take steps to engage with and support these firms.
Showing your support for these firms can often be done by way of honest dialogue and word-of-mouth. If you happen to be active in online forms of communication, posting positive reviews can also be of great help, as it can show credibility.
In another sense, though, and particularly if you are a business, you can engage directly with these firms by choosing to work with them. By hiring a Black-owned law firm for your legal needs, you’re not only supporting the advancement of diversity in the New York legal community, you’re also sending a message that you hold these firms and their attorneys in high esteem.
These acts of promotion, whether through open dialogue, reviews or your direct business, help put a spotlight on Black-owned law firms in New York and their vital role in the work of the courts.
Finding Resources for Black-Owned Law Firms
For those looking to further discover black-owned law firms, a number of resources offer insight into this important part of the legal community. Self-identified directories, traditional organizations, and newer online programs all promote the work of diverse law practices in New York and beyond. The National Directory of Black-owned Law Firms was created back in 1995 by the National Bar Association Foundation, and is today dedicated to fostering the growth, social and economic parity, and progression of the legal profession. The foundation’s site hosts a directory of 1,900 black-owned law firms across 36 states, and leads the way in bridging the gap between the production and promotion of diversity and inclusion efforts (as well as law firm retention and new client growth) with the real needs of the firms as expressed by their operations, partners, and attorneys . The colorful and user-friendly site for the National Directory of Black-owned Law Firms provides contact details for each directory member, including information on practice area and location. A search function allows users to look up firms by practice area, or by state and city, and one can even search for a particular attorney via first or last name in a given firm. (A list of all law firms employing black attorneys can also be extracted, in Excel or .CSV format, via the "Export" function option.) The 2018 Issue of the National Directory of Black-owned Law Firms in New York City provides an overview of the directory in a more geographic form, with images of each of the 154 New York City firms represented on the site. These include many of the top firms in the New York City Legal Aid Society.