Firms that were recognised include Allen & Overy and Hogan Lovells US
The US law firms that are most female- and family-friendly have been highlighted in Yale Law Women’s (YLW) 15th annual Top Firms for Gender Equity & Family Friendliness Report for 2020.
Firms that were highlighted for their initiatives in this regard include Allen & Overy, Hogan Lovells US, Jenner & Block and Ropes & Gray.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the current climate has “underscored the need for inclusive policies and for workplaces that are flexible, empathetic and supportive of their employees,” YLW said.
“As uncertainty looms, we continue to urge all law firms to be adaptable, to learn from their peers and their employees, to implement more equitable policies, and to support the people who make those policies work,” the organisation said.
For the first time since the inception of the Top Firms report, YLW chose to recognise individual firms’ efforts in a number of categories related to gender equity and family friendliness, “recognising the individualised experiences and distinct needs of law firm employees, as well as the multitude of factors leading to workplace equity,” the organisation said.
Diverse partnership, inclusion initiatives, women in partnership, LGBTQ+ representation and flexible work options were among the categories.
The Top Firms report, which gleans its findings from surveys conducted with Vault 100 law firms and attorneys, aims to “raise awareness of inequities within the legal profession, highlight progress being made in the industry, and identify areas for improvement,” YLW said.
The full list of top firms in their respective categories is as follows:
Hiring practices
Diverse partnership
Inclusion initiatives
LGBTQ+ representation
Promotion practices
Women in leadership
Flexible work options
Advancement for part-time attorneys
Parental and caregiver leave
Working mothers and family planning
