For at least four years, a dozen major law firms had new partner classes with 50% or greater women.
Women in the Law
Dozen major law firms had new partnership classes with 50% or more women for at least 4 years
October 31, 2024, 11:27 am CDT
Female lawyers made up at least half of new partner promotions in 82 major law firms this year, according to the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. (Image from Shutterstock)
Female lawyers made up at least half of new partner promotions in 82 major law firms this year, according to the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.
The 82 firms are “tipping the scales” toward gender parity, the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance–a consulting and membership organization helping businesses optimize diversity, equity and inclusion, flexible work environments and well-being–said in an Oct. 29 press release.
The group looked at public information for 196 firms to determine gender breakdowns in new partner classes in the United States and globally. The “tipping the scales” firms had 50% or more women in new partner classes in total or in the United States, according to an infographic.
Several firms on the list had 50% or more women in their new partner classes for multiple years. They are:
* Six years: Davis Wright Tremaine
* Five years: Epstein Becker & Green; Jackson Lewis; Littler Mendelson; Miller & Chevalier
* Four years: Boies Schiller Flexner; Debevoise & Plimpton; Dechert; Jenner & Block; Morgan, Lewis & Bockius; Weil, Gotshal & Manges; Wiley Rein
Although more firms are achieving gender parity in new partner classes, there is an overall decline in female representation in new partner classes, said Manar Morales, president and CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, in the press release.
Overall, 41.6% of U.S.-based new partners at 196 major firms were women this year. Last year, the percentage was 43.7%.
The decline “is a stark reminder that progress isn’t inevitable–it requires intentional action,” Morales said.
Here is the complete list of 82 firms that included 50% or more women in their new partner classes:
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
- Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis
- Armstrong Teasdale
- Arnall Golden Gregory
- Baker McKenzie
- Baker Botts
- Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz
- Baker & Hostetler
- Ballard Spahr
- Barnes & Thornburg
- Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff
- Beveridge & Diamond
- Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod
- Blank Rome
- Boies Schiller Flexner
- Bradley Arant Boult Cummings
- Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
- Burns & Levinson
- Burr & Forman
- Chapman and Cutler
- Cooley
- Cox, Castle & Nicholson
- Cozen O’Connor
- Davis Wright Tremaine
- Debevoise & Plimpton
- Dechert
- Dickinson Wright
- Dinsmore & Shohl
- Duane Morris
- Dykema Gossett
- Eversheds Sutherland
- Epstein Becker & Green
- Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner
- Fredrikson & Byron
- Goldberg Segalla
- Gordon Feinblatt
- Goulston & Storrs
- Greenspoon Marder
- Herrick, Feinstein
- Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
- Husch Blackwell
- Ice Miller
- Irell & Manella
- Jackson Lewis
- Jenner & Block
- Kelley Drye & Warren
- Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
- Lane Powell
- Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie Lewis Roca
- Littler Mendelson
- McCarter & English
- McDermott Will & EmeryMcDermott
- Miller & Chevalier
- Moore & Van Allen
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
- Morris, Manning & Martin
- Munger, Tolles & Olson
- Nixon Peabody
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler
- Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
- Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
- Polsinelli
- Porter Wright Morris & Arthur
- Pryor Cashman
- Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
- Robins Kaplan
- Ropes & Gray
- Saul Ewing
- Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
- Sidley Austin
- Snell & Wilmer
- Susman Godfrey
- Thompson Hine
- Tucker Ellis
- Venable
- Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease
- Whiteford, Taylor & Preston
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges
- Wiley Rein
- Williams & Connolly
- Williams Mullen
