(June 15, 2018) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has been awarded the Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for the eighth consecutive year. 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. Littler is among the 11 firms that have been awarded Gold Standard Certification every year since WILEF began the award in 2011. Additionally, the firm was one of only 15 firms that met all six certification criteria this year.
“We are honored to once again receive the WILEF certification for our continued efforts in empowering women,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler, in a joint statement. “This continuous recognition reflects the firm’s commitment to creating opportunities for women to advance and succeed at every level of the firm. We are honored to be recognized by WILEF, and appreciate that our collective efforts have resulted in this achievement.”
Littler offers a number of programs and initiatives that support the advancement of women and diverse attorneys. Through its Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI), the firm focuses on developing and retaining women leaders. In addition, the firm’s award-winning Career Advocacy Program (CAP) has been instrumental in advancing women from the associate to shareholder level. CAP selects diverse associates (Protégés) and pairs them with some of the firm’s most influential leaders and rainmakers (Advocates) and with general counsel of major corporations (Champions). Over the past three years, Protégés represented 18 percent to 40 percent of the new shareholder classes. The program currently has 28 Protégés (including 12 women), 14 Advocates (including seven women) and a dozen active client Champions. Additionally, 17 previous Protégés (including 12 women) have been elevated to shareholder.
“Particularly noteworthy is the number of firms that met the standard of at least 33 percent of the new equity partners in the past 12 month period were women and that 32 firms met or exceeded this standard,” said Nancy Bertoglio, chair of WILEF’s Certification Committee.
At Littler, women attorneys hold various leadership positions. Littler’s female attorneys also participate in legal, business and civic communities, championing causes important to the firm, including women’s advancement, diversity and inclusion, and innovation in the delivery of legal services. As a result, Littler continues to be recognized by various organizations for its female attorneys. This year, the firm was recognized by The American Lawyer for its diversity efforts, and Law360, which ranked Littler No. 1 in its Best Law Firms for Women report. Additionally, the firm was named by Yale Law Women as one of the Top Ten Female Friendly Firms.
About Littler
Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,500 attorneys in 80 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for over 75 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing member entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms.