Which Firms Offer Women The Most Power And Highest Pay? (2016)

In a profession ruled by men, these Biglaw firms have taken steps to level the playing field for women.

women lawyers trioEach and every year, no matter how much lip service is given to gender equality within the prestigious enclave of Biglaw firms, women continue to be left behind. We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: “Biglaw lives to serve men, and in most cases, they are the ones claiming all of the power, the prestige, and most importantly, the money, while women are left in the dust.” At some large law firms, however, it’s a different story. Some firms offer women the chance to rise through the ranks to become major power players and to receive startlingly booming compensation — and rank among the most family-friendly.

Thanks to the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), we have a way to find out exactly which firms are on top when it comes to offering women attorneys the chance to perform on par with their male colleagues in terms of prestige and pay.

WILEF offers Biglaw firms with 300 or more lawyers practicing in the United States the chance to become Gold Standard-certified, meaning that they must comply with four of six benchmarks meant to drive women lawyers to succeed in business development and leadership roles. Here are the criteria, which were a bit tougher to achieve this year:

• Women account for at least 20% of equity partners or alternatively, 33% or more of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past twelve months. [not a mandatory requirement as previously announced]

• Women represent at least 15% of firm chairs and office managing partners. [Up from 10%]

• Women make up at least 20% of the firm’s primary governance committee.

• Woman represent 20% or more of the firm’s compensation committee.

• Women make up at least 25% of practice group leaders or department heads.

• Women represent at least 15% of the top half of the most highly compensated partners. [Up from 10%]

In addition to the above changes to the second and sixth criteria, the definition of equity partner for purposes of completing the application has changed. The new definition is: “equity partner” is one who receives no more than half of his or her income on a fixed-income basis. Because WILEF had not previously announced this new definition, criteria one will not be a mandatory requirement.

This year, with WILEF’s more stringent requirements, 31 firms made the cut, compared to last year’s showing of 44 firms. Biglaw firms continue to tout their commitment to women’s initiatives, yet once again, not even half of the Am Law 100 appears on this list. For the second year in a row, although WILEF allowed for even bigger law firms to compete for inclusion in its rankings, fewer firms raised the bar for their female attorneys. It’s more than a bit disheartening when you think of it that way.

Here are the 2016 recipients of Gold Standard certification:

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz
Ballard Spahr
Bryan Cave
Cooley
Davis Wright Tremaine
Dentons US
Faegre Baker Daniels
Hogan Lovells
Holland & Hart
Holland & Knight
Jackson Lewis
Jenner & Block
Littler
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
McCarter & English
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Morrison & Foerster
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Polsinelli
Quarles & Brady
Reed Smith
Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Sidley Austin
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Stoel Rives
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan
Thompson Coburn
Thompson Hine
WilmerHale

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Although WILEF doesn’t tell us how the firms stack up against one another in terms of the criteria needed for certification, we do know that only six firms met all six benchmarks. Those firms are: Davis Wright (recertified for the sixth year in a row); Hogan Lovells (recertified for the fourth year in a row); Holland & Hart (recertified for the fourth year in a row in all six criteria); Quarles & Brady (recertified for the sixth year in a row); Reed Smith (recertified for the sixth year in a row in all six criteria); and Shook, Hardy & Bacon (recertified for the sixth year in a row in all six criteria).

It’s once again worth noting that none of these firms are New York-based, and none of them come close to landing at the top of the firms with the highest profits per partner. Are women only receiving treatment as equals at smaller firms outside big cities?

Under WILEF’s tougher standards, there were some notable dropouts from last year’s certification list. For example, big-name firms like Davis Polk, DLA Piper, K&L Gates, Latham, and Paul Hastings, among many others, have disappeared. We can’t help but to wonder how women are being treated at these firms. If you have any information, please reach out to us via email. We keep all of our tipsters anonymous.

Congratulations to all of the firms that met WILEF’s criteria for Gold Standard certification. You have our thanks for rising to the top of the Biglaw pack when it comes to women’s empowerment. We still have a long way to go but these firms are making big strides in the right direction. Thank you for helping women shine in legal practice.

Under Tougher Standards, 31 Firms Receive WILEF’s Gold Standard Certification [WILEF Tribune]

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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. Follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.