For the fourth consecutive year, Baker Donelson has been certified by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) as a Gold Standard Firm.
WILEF grants Gold Standard status to 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. Baker Donelson was among 42 law firms across the country to earn this certification.
Criteria that are considered for WILEF Gold Standard Certification include the number of women attorneys who are equity partners; who serve as heads of the firm, its offices and practice groups or departments; who serve on the firm's primary governance committee; and who serve on the committee that determines equity partner compensation.
Through its Women's Initiative, Baker Donelson has implemented numerous key initiatives designed to create an environment where female attorneys thrive, including an industry-leading parental leave policy, a firm-wide mentoring program for women, a program that awards business development grants to women attorneys, and a training program designed to help women attorneys achieve equity shareholder status.
Women serve in key leadership roles across Baker Donelson. Currently, women serve as president and COO, on the board of directors, as office managing shareholders, as department chairs, and as practice group leaders. This year's class of new shareholders at the Firm was comprised of more than 50 percent women, making it the fourth consecutive year women have made up nearly or more than half of the Firm's newly elected shareholders. Additionally, nearly half of the new shareholders, including men and women, have taken advantage of Baker Donelson's parental leave policy during their time at the Firm.
Baker Donelson's culture as an exceptional workplace for women has earned the Firm numerous recognitions, including being named by Working Mother magazine to its "Best Law Firms for Women" list, being ranked 53rd on FORTUNE's list of the "100 Best Workplaces for Women®" and being ranked third nationally in diversity for women in the 2018 edition of Vault, Inc.'s "Best Law Firms for Diversity." The Firm was also recognized by the Chambers Women in Law Awards: USA 2018 as a finalist in the category of Outstanding Firm in Advancing Gender Diversity and Inclusion.