One Nashville law firm and two others statewide have been ranked in The American Lawyer's 2011 Diversity Survey just released.

The annual tally was sent to 450 law firms across the country, specifically those named in the AmLaw 200 (American Lawyer) and the NLJ 250 (National Law Journal). 194 firms responded.

Nashville-based Bass Berry & Sims ranked 182nd on the list with a 9.2 overall diversity score, while the Memphis office of Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz placed 159th, with a 12.2 percent score. Miller & Martin's Chattanooga group ranked 166th with a 11.5 percent overall diversity score.

"The results don't surprise me but I wish they were better," said Keith B. Simmons, Bass Berry's managing partner.

Simmons said his firm works hard to reach out to the minority community and is constantly involved in initiatives connecting that firm with job fairs and law schools for the purpose of connecting to minority groups. Simmons added the survey should be accompanied by a broader look.

"You have to compare apples to apples in these situations," Simmons said, referring to the fact that firms in San Francisco have a large Asian-American community cities such as Nashville doesn't have. And Atlanta firms have better proximity to the African-American community so the minority numbers there would reflect accordingly.

The AmLaw survey covers January through December 2010. Overall minority hiring increased by 0.2 percent, to a 13.9 percent score over 2009 reports. This small increase is noteworthy given 2010 results indicated a drop in minority hiring. The survey only tracks the race aspect of minority hiring defined as African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic and Other/Multiracial.