The world didn’t need another law firm when we started ours in 2018; it needed a better one. Part of that was easy. As a firm that is majority-owned by women, we knew it was essential to balance plaintiff- and defense-side work, to represent top companies as well as the public interest, and to develop an unbiased approach to hiring, training, and promotion of our exceptional attorneys.
The hard part was getting here.
For years, we’ve heard the same statistics that you probably have – about how less than a fifth of law firm partners are women; about women and men that enter law firms at the same rates, but are disproportionately male by the time partnership decisions are made; about the classic “bait-and-switch” of pitching a diverse team, but delivering a homogenous one. Nevertheless, we persisted.
We fully believe that clients want to hire diverse teams, but don’t want their choice to be perceived as a risk by a board or its shareholders.
Because it shouldn’t be a risk to do better.
Many law firms are dedicated to diversity and inclusion. Selendy & Gay goes beyond simply dedication; we constantly strive to ensure that people of all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging to the community we’re creating together.
In the last major study of law firm partnerships, women comprised only 19% of BigLaw equity partners, as compared to 50% at Selendy & Gay. We’ve been recognized by Bloomberg Law, the Financial Times, Chambers and Partners, and Law360’s Glass Ceiling Report for our gender-balanced firm.

Only 24.2% of associates in BigLaw identify as people of color, coupled with even bleaker partnership statistics. As partners to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, outspoken advocates of social justice, and frequent panelists on law firm diversity, we know that developing a pipeline of racially diverse partners begins with establishing a pipeline of well-trained and well-supported associates of all backgrounds. We are meeting the moment with training that encompasses all levels of the attorney lifecycle and spectrum – from legal skills and business development training, to uncovering implicit bias and active allyship.

Only 2.9% of attorneys identify as LGBTQ in BigLaw firms, as compared to over 17% at Selendy & Gay. At the heart of our egalitarian community is our shared commitment – across all identities – to represent diversity at every level of our firm.

In honor of WorldPride and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, Selendy & Gay hosted clients, friends and allies in celebration of LGBTQ history. The event featured a special performance by Aquaria, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
While we work to build an inclusive environment in our office, we know that the world is bigger than our firm. It’s why our partners and associates are committed to causes that build a more open, diverse society. Some of the organizations with which our attorneys partner include:
- National Center for Lesbian Rights
- American Civil Liberties Union
- New York Civil Liberties Union
- Lambda Legal
- National Center for Law & Economic Justice
- Equal Justice Works
- American Immigration Representation Project
- The National Center of Access to Justice
- Her Justice
- NYU Center of Civil Justice
- The National Center of Access to Justice
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC