Summary: The below firms are among some of the best for working mothers due to their flexible schedules and encouraging environments.
WorkingMother.com has compiled a list of the best law firms for women to work, examining schedule flexibility and the advancement of women into equity partner positions. Some of these firms are detailed below.
Baker & McKenzie has actually set a goal for at least 30% of its equity partners to be female. The firm offers its female attorneys sponsorship programs, coaching, and education programs to help them achieve these goals.
Cooley’s female attorneys make up around a quarter of its practice group chairs. The firm also has a women’s initiative that provides mentoring to associates and emphasizes pay equity.
Read about why working part-time isn’t always a bad thing if you’re an attorney.
Davis Wright Tremaine gives primary caregivers 15 fully paid weeks off after a birth or adoption, and billable hours are reduced for two months afterward. The firm also offers flex and telecommuting schedules.
DLA Piper has several policies in place that allow its attorneys to telecommute or flex, compress and reduce their hours. A coordinator at the firm helps them with these requests.
Epstein Becker Green has maintained that working reduced or flexible hours at the firm does not impact one’s chances of being promoted to partner. The firm has a Work/Life Balance Working Group to help women balance work with home life.
One company allows lawyer moms to work from home on legal projects.
Foley & Lardner encourages its partners to provide business development coaching and sponsorship to female associates and senior counsel. Currently, 13% of the firm’s equity partners are female.
Gibbons created the Gibbons Leadership Academy to help its female attorneys set goals, create networks, and grow their client lists. Women comprise 30% of executive committee members and chair one-third of the firm’s departments.
Yale Law Women released a list of the top ten family friendly firms.
Ice Miller created several women’s initiatives at this firm that improve their business development skills and strengthen their training. In the past five years, 21% of the newly elected equity partners were women.
Morrison & Foerster allows its partner-track attorneys to reduce their hours by as much as a third, and the firm has procedures in place to ensure the transitions go smoothly.
Sidley Austin allows its attorneys to have flexible schedules without risking their chances for promotions. In addition, one-on-one work life balance coaching is being used this year for those attorneys who have children.
Source: WorkingMother.com
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