Twenty-nine US law firms and 10 UK firms have been awarded 2021 Gold Standard Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (www.wilef.com). WILEF grants Gold Standard status to major firms that meet objective criteria concerning the number of women among equity partners, in firm leadership positions, and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners. The firms certified as of July 6, 2021, are listed below. This is the eleventh year of the US Gold Standard and the fifteenth anniversary of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum.
“Obviously this year was a difficult one for US law firms to attain the Gold Standard. At this time last year, we had 48 firms. It is obvious that upping the criteria made the difference. That said, upping the criteria was necessary as we move the needle forward,” said Elizabeth “Betiayn” Tursi, WILEF’s Global Chair. “I am pleased to see two new firms appear on the US list and the addition of three new firms to the UK list.”
“I agree that the new percentages especially regarding criteria 1 made the difference. The good news is that looking back at last year there were 16 firms at or above 25% and this year there are 21 firms that met this criterion, which is a significant increase,” said Nancy Bertoglio, Chair of the WILEF Certification Committee.
For 2021 US Gold Standard Certification, a meaningful percentage means that the firm satisfies both the following two mandatory criteria:
- 25% of equity partners or, alternatively, 40% of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past 12 months are women
- 10% of women equity partners are women of color or 4% of women equity partners are LGBT
and at least two of the following four criteria:
- 20% of the firm and U.S. branch office heads are women
- 25% of the firm’s primary governance committee are women
- 25% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women
- 20% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women
The following firms qualified for 2021 US Certification by meeting the two mandatory criteria plus an additional two criteria:
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
- Ballard Spahr
- Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
- Cooley
- Covington & Burling
- DLA Piper
- Eversheds Sutherland (US)
- Foley & Lardner
- Freshfields Bruckhaus & Deringer US
- Haynes and Boone
- Hogan Lovells US
- Holland & Hart
- Ice Miller
- Jackson Lewis
- Kutak Rock
- Littler
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
- Morrison & Foerster
- Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart
- O’Melveny & Myers
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
- Seyfarth Shaw
- Shook, Hardy & Bacon
- Sidley Austin
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Vorys
- Vinson & Elkins
Ten of these firms met all six criteria: Ballard Spahr, Freshfields, Hogan Lovells, Holland & Hart, Kutak Rock, Littler, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, and Sidley Austin, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
Six of the firms have been awarded Gold Standard Certification every year since WILEF began the award in 2011: Ballard Spahr, Holland & Hart, Littler, Morrison & Foerster, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
Two firms are new to the list: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Vinson & Elkins.
Among the certified firms:
- 2% of the firms met the criterion of 25% women among U.S. equity partners; 45.3% of the firms met the criteria of 40%
- the average was 31 % of women as US branch heads
- women constituted 38% of the members of the firms’ governance committees
- women constituted 35% of their compensation committees
- 20.6% of women were in the top half of equity partners, in terms of compensation
With respect to the mandatory criterion for diversity among US women equity partners, added in 2017, 16.5% of certified firms met or exceeded the 10% threshold for women of color and 3.8% met or exceeded the 4% threshold for LGBT women.
WILEF UK Gold Standard, firms needed to meet three of the five following criteria:
- 20% of equity partners or, alternatively, 33% of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past twelve months are women
- 20% of the firm’s primary governance committee are women
- 20% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women
- 15% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women
- 10% of women equity partners are non-white or 4% of women equity partners are LGBT
The following firms qualified for 2021 UK Certification:
- Allen & Overy
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
- Covington & Burling
- Hogan Lovells
- Mayer Brown
- Reed Smith
- Sidley Austin
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Watson Farley & Williams
- Womble Bond Dickinson
Five of these firms met all five criteria: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Covington & Burling, Hogan Lovells, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Watson Farley & Williams.
Three of these firms are new to the list: Allen & Overy, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Womble Bond Dickinson.
Among the certified firms:
- 8% met the criterion of 20% women among UK equity partners; 27.6% met women becoming equity partners in the past twelve months
- women constituted 28.9% of the members of the firms’ governance committees
- women constituted 30.4% of their compensation committees
- 4% of firms met the criterion of 15% women in the top half of equity partners, in terms of compensation
- 6% of certified firms met or exceeded the 10% threshold for women of color and 1.2% met or exceeded the 4% threshold for LGBT women.
Finally, four firms have met both the US and UK Gold Standard—Covington & Burling, Hogan Lovells US/International, Sidley Austin, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Firms with 300 or more lawyers in the US and 100 or more attorneys in the UK may submit applications for 2021 Gold Standard Certification until December 16. Application forms may be obtained from Ms. Tursi.
All certified firms will be named on the WILEF website and will receive a 2021 US and/or UK seal.
