FaegreBD Among Top Ranked Law Firms for Women

Faegre Baker Daniels is among 45 U.S. law firms to receive Gold Standard Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) in 2019. This designation recognizes firms with women in top leadership roles who impact firm management and compensation decisions. 

“We consider it an honor to receive this certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum for the sixth consecutive year,” said firm partner Lauren Barta who, along with partner Anne Ricchiuto, co-chairs Faegre Baker Daniels Women’s Forum for Achievement. “FaegreBD is committed to providing a work environment where all attorneys can feel supported by their peers 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 must meet at least four of the following six criteria:

• 20 percent of U.S. equity partners, or alternatively, one-third of attorneys who became U.S. equity partners within the previous 12 months, are women
• 15 percent of the heads of the firm and its U.S. branch office heads combined are women
• 20 percent of the members of the firm’s primary governance committee are women
• 20 percent of the members of the committee that determines equity partner compensation are women
• 15 percent of the top half of U.S. equity partners in terms of compensation are women
• 7 percent of U.S. women equity partners are women of color and/or 3.5 percent of them are LGBT

“Diversity and inclusion are core values. We will continue to focus on building diversity within our firm and creating an inclusive work environment that supports the professional development of our professionals – both integral to providing world class client service,” said the firm’s chair and managing partner Tom Froehle.

In addition to the WILEF certification, FaegreBD has been recognized by Law360 as the fourth best law firm for women in their 2019 “Glass Ceiling Report,” and was named one of the Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother magazine in 2018.

FaegreBD actively supports the advancement of women in the legal profession 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 firm has also adopted innovative programs dedicated to the retention and advancement of women and diverse professionals, including Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule, which ensures consideration pools for select leadership and governance roles are represented by women lawyers and lawyers of color; and “On Track for Partnership”— a team-driven and technology-supported sponsorship initiative designed to accelerate professional growth, promote career advancement, and unlock leadership opportunities for women lawyers and lawyers of color.

WILEF 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.