SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. issued the following announcement on July 12.

Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce that the firm has earned a 2021 Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum. Only 29 U.S. law firms have been awarded the 2021 Gold Standard Certification from WILEF. Ogletree Deakins is just one of nine firms to meet all six criteria in order to achieve the Gold Standard Certification. This year’s recognition marks the seventh time Ogletree Deakins has received WILEF’s Gold Standard Certification.

Law firms with 300 or more practicing attorneys in the United States are eligible to receive WILEF’s Gold Standard Certification if they meet objective criteria regarding the number of women among equity partners, in leadership positions, and identified as most highly compensated partners.

For consideration to receive the 2021 U.S. Gold Standard Certification, firms must meet two mandatory criterion:

• 25 percent of equity partners or, alternatively, 40 percent of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past 12 months are women.
• 10 percent of women equity partners are women of color or 4 percent of women equity partners are LGBTQIA+.

And at least two of the following four criteria:

• 20 percent of firm and U.S. branch office heads are women.
• 25 percent of the firm’s primary governance committee are women.
• 25 percent of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women.
• 20 percent of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women.

The certification changed in 2021 to include a second mandatory criteria that 10 percent of women equity partners are women of color or 4 percent of women equity partners are LGBTQIA+. The threshold percentage of the remaining criteria to be satisfied increased by five or more percent each from 2020.

“Obviously this year was a difficult one for U.S. 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.

“It is a top priority at Ogletree Deakins to cultivate and uphold an inclusive environment for our women attorneys,” said Lia Dorsey, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Ogletree Deakins. “Receiving the Gold Standard Certification from WILEF highlights the success of our efforts and reiterates our continued mission to empower women across the firm.”

Original source can be found here.