Economic Incentives for Diversity
An interview with Aviva Will & Keith Harrison
Diversity and inclusion are laudable goals, but how can change be created in an industry driven by tradition and financial return? This interview explores the concept of using economic incentives and rigorous data to encourage diversity within the legal profession. The conversation also explores controversial topics such as diversity spin, partner compensation, and the impact on the legal profession of changes to affirmative action law currently being considered at the Supreme Court.
Aviva Will is the Co-Chief Operating Officer at Burford Capital and one of the architects behind Burford’s Equity Project (a $150,000,000 fund allocated exclusively for women and minority litigators). Keith Harrison is a partner and co-chair of Crowell & Moring’s Litigation Group and a member of the firm's Diversity Council. Aviva and Keith sit down with TalksOnLaw’s Joel Cohen to discuss putting money on the line to overcome inherent biases and structural disadvantages and strategies to encourage and grow diversity in the profession.
Additional Resources
The Equity Project – The Equity Project is an award-winning initiative earmarking a $150 million pool of capital earmarked for financing commercial litigation and arbitration matters led by women and minority attorneys. It is an award-winning initiative to improve diversity in the business of law by providing an economic incentive for change in leadership in commercial litigation and arbitration.
2020 Equity Project Study: General Counsel & the Gender Gap in Law – a sourvey of corporate general counsels on legal diversity.
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About Aviva Will & Keith Harrison
“While the numbers are getting better, change remains slow. So for us, it has always been about, what else can we do. Are there other ways can we move the needle?”
Aviva Will is Co-Chief Operating Officer of Burford Capital and a member of Burford's Management and Commitments Committees. At Burford, Ms. Will developed and launched The Equity Project, a groundbreaking initiative designed to help increase diversity in law by providing an economic incentive for change through a $100 million pool of capital earmarked for financing commercial litigation matters led by women and racially diverse lawyers who have been historically underrepresented in the field. As part of The Equity Project, Ms. Will recruited over 25 lawyers from the world’s leading law firms and corporations to be Champions in promoting the availability of this capital to incentivize change. Prior to joining Burford in 2010, Ms. Will was a senior litigation manager and Assistant General Counsel at Time Warner Inc., where she managed a portfolio of significant antitrust, intellectual property and complex commercial litigation.
Keith J. Harrison is a partner and co-chair of Crowell & Moring’s Litigation Group and a member of the Management Board in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. A former New York City prosecutor and seasoned trial litigator, Keith has tried dozens of cases in eight states and the District of Columbia, and argued 14 cases as an appellate advocate in both state and federal courts. Keith is a member of the firm's Diversity Council and as co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Public Service Practice, Keith oversees the firm's pro bono program.
