Biglaw

'White Shoe' No More: Why Elite Biglaw Firms Are Walking Away From Term

The term is antiquated and no longer represents what Biglaw looks like.

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White shoe firms continue to handle the most prestigious matters for clients, including bet-the-company litigation, major transactions or important advice on regulatory matters. [White shoe firms] were not historically diverse, and there is no place for that now.

We represent more than the old white shoe label. We now cover white shoes, cowboy boots and high heels across 20 global offices, representing the new generation of diverse, global law firms.

— Yvette Ostolaza, chair-elect of Sidley Austin’s management committee, commenting on the ways her firm is distancing itself from the “white shoe” designation. Ostolaza will take over as chair in April 2022, when she will become the first woman to co-lead the firm in its 155-year history. She will be the only woman of color to lead a top 10 Am Law firm and among the handful of women who lead Biglaw firms.

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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