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The percentage of firms with three or more women as top rainmakers has doubled in two years in the 50 law firms named the best for women.Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers announced this year’s top 50 law firms for women on Tuesday. Twenty-two percent of the law firms reported that three or more women were among their top 10 rainmakers, up from 11 percent two years ago, according to a press release. (The latest statistic is based on the 46 best law firms that responded to the question.) An executive summary is here and an article is here.Thirty percent of nonequity partners at the best firms were women, the highest percentage in nine years. In 2007, the percentage was 22 percent. And 20 percent of equity partners were women, compared to the nationwide average of 18 percent. In 2007, the percentage was 16 percent.A list of the 50 best law firms, along with more detailed information about the percentage of women partners at each one, is here. The 50 best law firms are:Arnold … [Read more...] about These law firms are named the best for women

What a difference a year makes.Yale Law Women has released its list of the top 10 family friendly law firms, and six firms on last year’s list are gone.The group’s survey of large law firms shows BigLaw is offering more flexible career paths for women, but some statistics, such as the low retention rate for women, are cause for concern, according to a press release. Law firms should embrace family-friendly policies even as they change to meet market demands, Yale Law Women says.The six firms no longer on the list are: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Covington & Burling; Jenner & Block; Katten Muchin Rosenman; Munger, Tolles & Olson; and Patton Boggs.Christine Ku, co-chair of the Yale Law Women Top 10 Family Friendly List Committee, tells the ABA Journal there are several factors that help determine which firms get on the list, and she can’t identify a “definitive reason” why some didn’t make it this year. Yale Law Women releases … [Read more...] about List of Top 10 Family-Friendly Law Firms Has Only Four Repeats

Dozens of well-known law firms are among a record 195 employers receiving top ratings in a Corporate Equality Index that has reportedly just been released by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.Billed as a report card on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality in Corporate America, the survey (PDF) found that more employers than ever before are offering workplace protections to employees who are discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. A growing number also are concerned about the issue of promoting a working environment that is fair to all employees.Describing the progress made by employers since the survey was inaugurated in 2002 as remarkable, the foundation says in an introductory letter that “There is no doubt that governments will have to play catch-up with businesses that have raced to provide fair workplaces for their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees.”Among the law firms scoring 100 percent, the survey … [Read more...] about Rights Group Gives Big Firms 100% Rating

Remote work is the most popular flex option among lawyers, and it’s offered by all 50 law firms on Working Mother’s list of the 50 best for women.At 17 of the law firms, every lawyer takes advantage of the remote work option, according to a Working Mother story. Overall, 53 percent of lawyers at the best law firms do some work remotely.That figure is considerably higher than the percentage of all U.S. workers who perform all or some of their work at home. Last year, only 22 percent of U.S. workers did at least some of their work from home, down from 24 percent in 2015, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports.Another flex benefit offered by all 50 law firms—reduced hours—is mostly used by female staff attorneys and of counsel.Forty-four percent of female counsel while 23 percent of male counsel had a reduced schedule. Twenty-seven percent of female staff attorneys while 7 percent of male staff attorneys worked reduced hours. Overall, 9 percent of lawyers … [Read more...] about Fewer in US working remotely, but it’s a popular option at top law firms for women

Yale Law Women has released its annual list of the top 10 family friendly law firms.Debevoise & Plimpton and Steptoe & Johnson made the list last year, but they are off this year. In their place are Covington & Burling, which made the 2009 list, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.Carly Zubrycki, chairman of the top 10 list committee, cautioned against overemphasizing the changes in an interview with the Careerist. It’s “possible for a firm that made the list last year to have submitted similar numbers, or even improved numbers, this year but to have nonetheless been beaten by a firm who improved more,” she said.This year’s top 10, in alphabetical order, are:• Arnold & Porter• Covington & Burling• Dorsey & Whitney• Kirkland & Ellis• Mayer Brown• Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo• Perkins Coie• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman• Sidley Austin• Wilmer Cutler … [Read more...] about Top 10 Family Friendly Law Firms Named; Survey Finds More On and Off Ramp Programs