(June 30, 2023) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has earned Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for the 13th consecutive year. This recognition follows Littler recently being named among the top five of Seramount’s “Best Law Firms for Women and Diversity”, ranked on The National Law Journal’s Women’s Scorecard and having earned the “Top Firm for Diversity” spot in the Top Firms Report 2023 by Yale Law Women+.
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 four firms that have been awarded Gold Standard Certification every year since WILEF began the award in 2011. Additionally, the firm was one of only 16 firms that met all six certification criteria this year.
“We are proud to be recognized by WILEF for the 13th consecutive year,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president and Paul Bateman, chief inclusion, equity & diversity officer, in a joint statement. “At Littler, we remain intentional about cultivating an environment that provides opportunities to empower women, and those who identify as women, to accomplish their professional and personal goals.”
For 2023 Gold Standard Certification, firms must meet the following mandatory criteria that:
- 25% of equity partners or, alternatively, 40% of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past twelve months are women
- Littler – 38.6% equity/45.8% promoted to equity
- 10% of women equity partners are women of color or 4% of women equity partners are LGBTQ+
- Littler – 21.7% women of color/7.0% LGBTQ+ women
and at least two of the following criteria that:
- 20% of firm and U.S. branch office heads are women
- Littler – 46.3%
- 25% of the firm’s primary governance committee are women
- Littler – 44.0%
- 25% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women
- Littler – 45.4%
- 20% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women
- Littler – 29.7%
Littler offers a number of inclusion, equity and diversity (IE&D) 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, and those who identify as women, at every level of the firm, while empowering them to share their experiences, promote their successes, and advance their skills through new roles and greater responsibilities.
Littler continues to be ranked as a top firm for women by organizations such as The American Lawyer, Law360 and Vault, among others. A full list of the firm’s accolades, as well as a comprehensive overview of Littler’s ongoing IE&D programming and initiatives can be found in the firm’s 2022 Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Annual Report.
About Littler
With more than 1,700 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.