Faegre Baker Daniels Named a Top Law Firm for Women

Faegre Baker Daniels is among 31 U.S. law firms to receive Gold Standard Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) in 2016. This designation recognizes firms that have women in top leadership roles that impact firm management and compensation decisions.

“We are honored that the Women in Law Empowerment Forum has once again chosen FaegreBD to be Gold Standard-certified,” said Karin Johnson, partner and chair of the Women’s Forum for Achievement Leadership Council. “Our firm is committed to providing a work environment where our attorneys, regardless of gender, can feel supported and thrive.”

WILEF invited firms with 300 or more practicing lawyers in the U.S. to apply for the certification. The designation is based solely on statistical data of women lawyers in leadership and highly compensated positions, and not on the firm's internal diversity policies.

  To be certified, firms had to meet at least four of the following six criteria:

• Women account for at least 20 percent of equity partners or 33 percent or more of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the last 12 months.
• Women represent at least 15 percent of firm chairs and office managing partners.
• Women make up at least 20 percent of the firm's primary governance committee.
• Women comprise 20 percent or more of the firm's compensation committee.
• Women account for at least 25 percent of practice group leaders or department heads.
• Women comprise at least 15 percent of the top half of the most highly compensated partners.

“It is important that we have diversity in talent as well as an inclusive work environment that aids in the professional growth of our attorneys—both are critical to our providing world-class client service,” said the firm’s managing partner Andrew Humphrey.

Faegre Baker Daniels actively supports the advancement of women in the legal industry through its internal Women's Forum for Achievement. This affinity group provides a platform for women to develop their careers, practices and networks, and ensures the firm is a place where women can achieve long-term success.

The Women in Law Empowerment Forum launched the Gold Standard Certification initiative as a change agent for women to rise within their law firms as business developers and leaders. The organization seeks to create a dialogue for the purpose of educating women in law firms on how to become leaders in the workplace and in the community by building, exercising and implementing a strong sense of empowerment.