Law Department Management Blog
Sometimes confused, demographics does not equal diversity. As I understand it, demographics primarily has to do with differences between people because of their age. The generational divide in law departments, if such exists, has received little attention on this blog (See my post of Dec. 14, 2008: early summary of what had been posted about demographics.). We read all the time about Generation X and Millennials but my faith in those grand generalizations is exceeded by my faith in astrology. Maybe that is why my references to age-related differences in law departments are muted at best.
Generational diversity is present in most law departments that have existed a decade or more but what to do with that patent fact mystifies me (See my post of Sept. 4, 2005: demographics of law departments; Nov. 14, 2005: related to demographic changes; Jan. 6, 2006: social network compared to demographic diversity; Jan. 20, 2006: cognitive style diversity more important than demographic diversity; March 16, 2006: long-in-the-tooth veterans and knowledge loss; April 30, 2006: demographic change; July 18, 2006: social changes include demographic shifts; Feb. 7, 2007: demographics tip against law departments; June 30, 2007: narcissism and demographic groups; and June 23, 2009: does background diversity help a team.).