Wearing Natural Hair in BigLaw

Fenwick litigation associate Crystal Nwaneri recently talked to Law360 about her experience as a Black woman wearing natural hair in the legal industry, and its cultural importance and inclusive significance. Nwaneri was one of four lawyers interviewed by the publication for this installment of its In-Depth video series.

“I think firms need to make sure that they are safe spaces for young Black attorneys—and young Black women attorneys, in particular—to be themselves,” Nwaneri said. “And I think ensuring that hair discrimination doesn’t occur is a component of that.”

Nwaneri also addressed why she chose to wear her hair in its natural style for her official Fenwick headshot photo.

“That was a really intentional choice on my part because that is how I wear my hair on a daily basis,” she noted. “I wanted my online presence to reflect how I am in real life.”

The full video is available on Law360 (subscription required).