Designation recognizes firm’s inclusion and equality efforts.
Frost Brown Todd’s (FBT) ongoing efforts to create an inclusive environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed has earned the title of “Gold Standard Law Firm” by the Women in Law Empowerment (WILEF). FBT is one of only 48 U.S. law firms to receive the 2020 certification. WILEF awards the designation to a select number of law firms who meet specific requirements, including having a certain number of women as equity partners, in firm leadership positions, and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners.
“Achieving this honor for the eighth year in a row is a recognition that Frost Brown Todd is taking the steps necessary to move toward gender equality in the legal profession,” says FBT’s Women’s Initiative Chair Kim Mauer. “The objective nature of the WILEF criteria do not let firms hide behind ‘efforts’ because WILEF rewards only results. We appreciate WILEF for setting goalposts along the path that help us to continue making strides toward a workplace where each person is welcome and included at every level.”
Law firms with 300 or more practicing lawyers in the United States are eligible for the certification if they can demonstrate that women represent a meaningful percentage of their equity partners and highest leadership positions.
Firms are required to meet the mandatory criterion that at least 20% of all equity partners at the firm are women or, alternatively, 33% or more of the attorneys who became equity partners during the past 12 months were women. In addition, firms must meet at least three of the following criteria. FBT met four:
- 15% of the firm and U.S. branch office heads are women.
- 20% of the firm’s 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.
- 7% of women equity partners are women of color or 3.5 percent of women equity partners are LGBT.
Visit WILEF’s website to view all the firms awarded the Gold Standard Certification in 2019. You can also learn more about FBT’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
About WILEF
Founded by its Global Chair, Elizabeth Anne “Betiayn” Tursi, with the support of successful senior corporate executives and women attorneys, and subsequently law firm and corporate sponsors, WILEF is dedicated to assisting women in law to assume leadership roles within the National Law Journal 350 law firms, in Fortune 1000 legal departments and in their respective communities. WILEF presents cutting edge programming that provides an educational and networking forum for women in law and women law school students.