People's Parity Project: Roosevelt Institute Integration Confirmed

• The People's Parity Project (PPP) is integrating its operations, staff, network, programming, and assets into the Roosevelt Institute.
• This integration, occurring in the fall and winter, will see PPP's mission continue within the Roosevelt Society.
• Founded in 2018 by Harvard Law students, PPP used its leverage as desired Biglaw recruits to pressure firms.
• PPP successfully campaigned against forced arbitration, leading firms like Kirkland & Ellis and Sidley Austin to drop such provisions.
• Other firms, including Paul Hastings, adopted an opt-out system for arbitration in response to student advocacy.

For lawyers and compliance officers in large law firms, this development signals a more institutionalized and sustained effort to shape firm policies.

The People's Parity Project (PPP), a prominent law student organization known for its advocacy, is formally integrating its operations into the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank. This significant People's Parity Project Roosevelt Institute integration will see PPP's entire staff, its extensive network, all programming initiatives, and existing assets become part of the Roosevelt Institute's structure. The transition, effectively a PPP Roosevelt Institute merger, is scheduled to occur over the fall and winter months.

Upon completion of this integration, the core mission of the People's Parity Project will persist and be carried forward under the umbrella of the Roosevelt Society. This strategic move aims to embed the student group's impactful work within a larger, well-established progressive institution, signaling a more robust and enduring platform for its future endeavors in legal reform and advocacy.

The People's Parity Project originated in 2018, initially known as the Pipeline Parity Project, founded by a group of Harvard Law students. These students recognized the unique leverage they possessed: their desirability as recruits for major law firms, often referred to as Biglaw. They strategically utilized this influence to initiate pressure campaigns targeting firm policies, particularly those related to employment practices. This marked the beginning of significant student advocacy within the legal industry.

PPP's activism focused heavily on challenging forced arbitration clauses. Notable campaigns included the "#DumpKirkland" initiative, which specifically targeted Kirkland & Ellis over its employment arbitration agreements. The organization also engaged in direct action, such as leafleting outside Venable's Washington D.C. office during a recruiting reception for prospective associates, and organizing protests in front of three different DLA Piper offices. Furthermore, PPP successfully mobilized affinity groups to sever ties with Gibson Dunn until the firm agreed to eliminate forced arbitration provisions for its non-attorney staff, demonstrating the effectiveness of their Biglaw forced arbitration activism.

The persistent efforts of the People's Parity Project yielded tangible results within the legal sector. Following intense student pressure, several prominent firms, including Kirkland & Ellis and Sidley Austin, ultimately decided to discontinue their forced arbitration provisions. Other firms, such as Paul Hastings, responded by implementing an opt-out system for arbitration, representing a partial but significant shift in their employment practices. These outcomes underscore the power of organized student advocacy in influencing large legal institutions.

This integration into the Roosevelt Institute is poised to amplify PPP's influence, fostering progressive legal pipeline development and advancing broader Roosevelt Society legal reform objectives. For lawyers and compliance officers in large law firms, this development signals a more institutionalized and sustained effort to shape firm policies. The backing of a well-resourced progressive think tank suggests that firms may face continued or intensified pressure on issues like forced arbitration, potentially impacting their recruiting strategies, employment practices, and public relations in the long term.

Lawyers and compliance officers in large law firms should note that the institutionalization of the People's Parity Project within the Roosevelt Institute signals a more sustained and organized effort to influence firm policies, particularly regarding issues like forced arbitration. This development suggests that firms may face continued or intensified pressure from a well-resourced progressive think tank, potentially impacting recruiting, employment practices, and public relations strategies.

Source: Original reporting based on a press release